Chief Justice Emeritus David Maraga has today February 21, 2025 on his Official X Account come out to warn the government on dangers of the Rural Urban Private Hospitals Association’s declaration yesterday February 20,2025 to not accepting Social Health Authority insurance from patients and instead demanded them to pay in cash citing an outstanding Kshs.22Billion debt owed by National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“ I am deeply concerned at the news that the Rural Urban Private Hospitals Association intends to suspend healthcare services to Kenyans due to the failure of government to remit funds for their services,” Maraga said.
The former Chief Justice further stated that , the failure to remit refunds by the government is an unacceptable act as the Social Health Authority run by the government itself is responsible for such payments, and Kenyans on the other hand have been paying into SHA and before that into NHIF earlier on before the change.
Kenyans have in the recent past been putting pressure on the government to act fast on the SHA Insurance which has reportedly been having numerous system hitches , hindering service delivery and patients not getting treatment.
While the government on the other hand, have had promises and claims that measures have been put in place to ensure SHA sails through.
The Constitution, Maraga said , guarantees Kenyans the right to the highest attainable standard of health and for far too long , providing access to healthcare services, but this has been chocked by poor policies and corrupt practices in government.
“It is wrong and morally unacceptable to subject Kenyans to suffering when they need hospital services and medicines. I imagine that some of these cases need urgent medical attention and cannot wait. Lives are at stake. The government must seriously address the crumbling of healthcare institutions,” the former justice frustratedly claimed.
The Former Chief Justice has now warned the government of delaying development claiming that Kenyans cannot be people who make two steps forward and five steps backward because few individuals have found a way to game the industry and enrich themselves, leaving a higher majority to struggle , with no notable government’s healthcare investment.
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