By BARACK MULI.
Kituiās healthcare plan dubbed the county health insurance cover {KCHIC} was initiated by Governor Charity Ngilu in 2018 to offer affordable healthcare to thousands of households across the county and cushion residents from catastrophic medical expenditure.
Since the launch of the cover, residents access high quality health services in all public health facilities without extra medical costs. The cover seeks to liberate residents from sickness and disease – thus leading the county towards realizing a healthy and productive society.
The first year of the scheme saw a 42% increase in the number of patients seeking health services at the public facilities the hospitals with the number increasing swiftly.
The county is partnering with the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to improve health services. Through the plan, residents will pay sh. 3000 and the county the same amount for an annual subscription that enable them access quality healthcare services countrywide.
The move is part of the continuous developments by the county government to better the sector and ensure quality healthcare services to all residents.
The countyās commitment to improve the sector has been marked by increasing health personnel through hiring medical personnel and sourcing specialists from the national government since Governor Ngilu took over the countyās mantle of leadership.
The countyās working relationship with organizations among others the APHIA PLUS KAMILI under sponsorship of USAID, and the Centre for Health Solutions has boosted the sector ranked high in the development plan.
The County health reforms have also seen more drugs distributed to hospitals and modernization of the hospitalās outpatient departments.
The county has ensured that health centres have laboratories and are provided with essential diagnostic equipment, largely increasing diagnosis of common medical conditions at the community level.
The county has guaranteed that residents access theatre services at the County referral hospital, Mwingi level 4 hospital, Tseikuru Hospital and Ikutha hospital. These services relieve patients in need of the operations in the rural areas and alleviate the suffering, especially pregnant women.
Further, the County Ministry of Health has integrated hospital information system (HMIS) at all hospitals. Through this system, all processes have been digitized, thus increasing productivity in both clinical and non-clinical departments.
All patientsā records are kept in an electronic format, enabling ease of analyzing medical statistics and responding to emerging medical trends in the county.
With the continued improvement of health care in Kitui and the focus to continually upgrade the health system, the county will ultimately achieve the highest standards of health care as envisioned by the Constitution of Kenya.
All these efforts are geared towards transiting the county from a slothful to an effective sector that will see the common man reap better from the fruits of devolution.
*
Edited by By yoana Kimwele