Nairobi to unveil free medical scheme for poor residents

The Nairobi City County government is set to unveil a new medical scheme aimed at cushioning poor and vulnerable city residents against costly health services in county hospitals.

This comes after City Hall announced that it will partner with the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to cover poor households to ensure they get quality and free medical services in the four county hospitals of Pumwani, Mama Lucy, Mbagathi and Mutuini.

Governor Mike Sonko said that his administration is determined to ensure city residents access quality and affordable health services at the various hospitals in the county at a knock-down fee.

NHIF

“We will partner with NHIF to ensure quality and affordable healthcare services are offered in our county hospitals. This is also in line with and in support of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda, especially on health, as it will offer accessible healthcare to the public,” said Governor Sonko Saturday.

He said that to fully realise his administration’s plans, there are plans afoot to transform Pumwani Maternity Hospital by modernising it to ensure improved maternal healthcare for mothers.

In addition, Mr Sonko assured that he will fully implement the report of a task force that was formed to probe the management of Pumwani Hospital following the recent discovery of twelve bodies of infants there.

MATERNAL MORTALITY

“The sad cases of high maternal mortality must come to an end. We have developed a modernised plan for Pumwani Maternity Hospital and after the project is complete, Nairobi residents will enjoy quality healthcare at the facility and I also want my family members to seek for medical services in our county hospitals,” he said.

The City Hall boss, however, allayed fears that the hospital, one of the biggest maternity facilities in East and Central Africa, will be privatised after he recently announced a partnership deal with the Aga Khan and Nairobi West hospitals.

County hospitals have been facing various problems with the Pumwani case bringing to the fore the challenges Nairobi residents face in accessing health services.

On Wednesday, a report by Nairobi County Assembly Health Services committee painted a sorry state of Mama Lucy Hospital where it revealed that it lacks a new-born emergency unit, a general ward for women and up to three expectant mothers share a bed at the maternity unit.