President William Ruto has promised to implement the new Social Health Insurance Fund that will replace the National Hospital Insurance Fund to fight cartels in the health ministry
Speaking in Baringo during the Annual Kimalel Goat Auction, the President said that those fighting the Social Health Insurance Fund are cartels and should never be allowed to win at the expense of kenyans.
According to the President, cartels are sponsoring court cases to try and stop the health fund but it will be implemented at all costs despite the court cases in place to stop them.
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“Mambo ni matatu. We are not going to accept blackmail. Those sponsoring cases against Universal Health Coverage are beneficiaries in the National Hospital Insurance Fund. Hao wakora ndio walikuwa cartels kwa Ministry of Health na NHIF Tutawasimamisha. Hatutakubali matapeli katika wizara ya afya.”
This comes after the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) challenged the implementation of the social health insurance scheme.
The High Court therefore stopped the implementation of the Social Health Insurance Fund Act 2023, the Primary Health Care Act 2023 and the Digital Health Act 2023 until a case challenging its legality is heard.
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The statements by the President come days after he made similar remarks on the new housing levy that was termed unconstitutional by the High Court. He said that he will use all means necessary to implement the levy despite the court order.
“I am telling you this time round, I am implementing it. And I am so determined because we must do it. Korea did it, Singapore did it, Malaysia did it, and that is why they are ahead of us. We know what we must do but we cannot gather the courage to do it but this time round, whatever it takes we are going to implement it.”
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