BY Grace Naishoo
The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, flagged off a free medical camp exercise in Kiambu County in partnership with local medical institutions.
The three-day free medical camp which started on June 7, 2023, will run until June 9th, 2023.
NHIF Central Regional Manager Winnie Mbugua who flagged the exercise said the free medical camp is a way to give back to the community and also a chance to create awareness of the importance of having health insurance coverage.
“NHIF has come up with a series of Corporate Social Responsibility events which are Community Engagement Open Days dubbed ‘NHIF open day’ that will present an opportunity to strengthen its commitment to the community’s access to health care,” said Mbugua.
According to Mbugua, the NHIF Open Days Initiative aims to strengthen community health services and support vulnerable populations in 12 Counties spread across the County.
“Every Branch office guided by regional offices has negotiated with accredited Healthcare providers to give free medical camps to Kenyans for 3 days in each of the 12 identified Counties,” she said.
The NHIF central regional manager cited that Kiambu is the second county NHIF is conducting free medical camp as the exercise started last week in Nairobi County and will be in Kirinyaga County next week.
“The medical camps will provide a range of services, including general consultations, dental and eye care, maternal and child health services, mental health services, and non-communicable disease screening and management,” said Mbugua.
The free medical camp also targets to go beyond the provision of healthcare services and also serves as a platform for education and awareness by delivering informative sessions on the NHIF benefits package.
“Through this free medical camp, NHIF is making healthcare services accessible to those who might not have the means to afford them, it is reaching out to the most vulnerable sections of our society, ensuring they receive the medical attention they deserve,” said Mbugua.
59-year-old Lucy Wanjiku, a beneficiary of the free medical camp lauded the exercise saying financial constraints and lack of information had hindered her from getting medical attention but she is happy NHIF is here to help.
“I have had problems with my eyes for about two years now, I have never had any medical attention because I didn’t have the money to go to the hospital, I have been afraid that I could lose my sight, but am now glad because NHIF today have made it possible for me to be treated,” she said.
According to a report by NHIF, out of the 15.4 million members, the active members are about eight million. The Fund’s retention rate was 43 percent as of June 30, 2022, an improvement from 2021 when it was 32 percent.