Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa on Monday visited Nakuru county to evaluate the implementation of the Social Health Authority.
The CS also accessed the level of service delivery at various health facilities in the county.
CS Barasa said that the government is committed to ensuring Kenyans access services as a transition from the National Health Insurance Fund to SHA continues.
During her visit to the Hospital, CS Barasa met with James Kanyore, the man who was allegedly denied dialysis after he was asked to pay in cash.
The challenge moved Kanyore to tears as the hospital required him to pay Sh9,500 for his treatment despite the government having said no NHIF patient who was yet to migrate to SHA should be asked to pay from pocket.
Kanyore’s dilemma was highlighted on Citizen TV; he became emotional and shed tears while asking for help to get his medical services.
“Nimeambiwa niende niambie watu wetu watoe pesa Sh9,500, lakini mimi ni mzee sina pesa, sina mahali ya kuomba,” he said while tearing up.
(I have been told to tell my people to pay Sh9,500, but I’m old and I don’t have money. I have nowhere I can borrow).
The government said it will refund Kanyore the Sh9,500 he paid promising that he will not miss other treatments.
The CS said that Kanyore has resumed his treatment under SHA.
“I had the opportunity to visit Mzee Kanyore, who had missed his dialysis session on the first day of the rollout. I was pleased that Mzee had resumed his sessions as normal and was benefiting from the enhanced dialysis package under the Social Health Authority,” she said.
The CS assured him and other patients that SHA had addressed most of the teething problems witnessed at the start of the rollout. She added that services are now available across the public, faith-based, and private facilities.
“We continue to urge Kenyans to register under the Social Health Authority,” she added.