Health CS Barasa being "scapegoated" for SHIF failures - Senator Nyutu

Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu has claimed that Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa is being unfairly blamed for systemic failures within the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

Speaking on Monday during an interview with Citizen TV, Nyutu expressed concern over the harsh criticism directed at Barasa by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, questioning whether it was a prelude to her dismissal.

“I pitied the CS for Health, Barasa because she is being blamed for systemic failures. When she appeared in the Senate on Wednesday, she faced a severe tongue-lashing from the Majority Leader. While I agree that the Senate deserves recognition just like the National Assembly, I hope this criticism is not meant to pave the way for firing some people,” Nyutu said.

Nyutu warned that the failures in the health sector were not necessarily a result of the CS’s performance but rather deep-rooted structural problems.

“There is a problem with the system, and the CS and PS have become the punching bags. I fear that they could be dismissed, not because they have failed in their duties, but because the system itself is flawed,” he added.

During a heated Senate session last week, Health CS Barasa came under fire from legislators over challenges facing SHIF, which has left many patients struggling to access affordable healthcare.

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah questioned why Kenyans were paying high premiums yet still lacked proper healthcare services.

“There is no country in the world that has successfully implemented Universal Health Care through premiums alone; it is funded through taxes. Kenya is a signatory to the Abuja Declaration, so when did we deviate from this and start making citizens pay for healthcare?” Omtatah posed.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherarkey demanded answers regarding the case of Baby Aliana Wairimu, whose parents were left with a massive hospital bill despite being covered under SHIF. He noted that SHA only paid Sh23,000 of the Sh1.6 million bill, questioning the effectiveness of the scheme.

Nyandarua Senator John Methu criticised the Ministry for claiming ignorance on Baby Aliana’s case, pointing out that her family had already spent over Sh10 million for treatment in India.

“The amount SHA paid is a drop in the ocean. How can the Ministry say they were unaware of this case?” Methu posed.

SHA defense

In response, CS Barasa defended SHA, saying they had not yet received an official invoice from the hospital.

“I would like to inform the House that SHA has not received an invoice from the hospital treating Baby Aliana. Once it is received, payment will be made according to the set guidelines. I assure the Senate that justice will be done,” Barasa stated.

She further promised to hold a retreat with the Senate Health Committee to iron out concerns regarding SHIF implementation.

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Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna added that despite Kenyans contributing 2.75 per cent of their salaries to SHIF, many families were still struggling to pay for medical care.

CS Barasa defended the scheme, stating that SHA had registered three times more beneficiaries than NHIF and was a significant step forward in ensuring Kenyans do not sell their assets to afford healthcare.

“SHA has moved from covering 20 per cent under NHIF to a much broader coverage. We are working to ensure that Kenyans do not have to dispose of their properties to settle medical bills,” she said.

Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, however, dismissed her argument, insisting that SHA had failed despite the government’s hype around it.

“We need to scrutinise this issue thoroughly. If SHA is not working, we must be told, and if necessary, we should revert to NHIF, which was at least somewhat effective,” Onyonka argued.

Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana sought clarification on how the CS planned to address the standoff between the Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya and the government over non-payment of claims, which has forced patients to pay cash for treatment.

CS Barasa revealed that since SHIF was rolled out in October last year, Sh20.9 billion had been collected, with Sh18.2 billion already disbursed. Of this amount, Sh16.9 billion went towards claims, while Sh1.3 billion was allocated to primary health capitation.

Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua had pressed the CS to provide details on how much money had been collected and utilized so far.

Barasa assured the Senate that proper internal controls were in place to safeguard contributors’ funds and disclosed that all NHIF collection accounts had been frozen in November last year to facilitate a seamless transition.

Despite these assurances, senators remained critical of Barasa’s leadership, questioning her absence from a crucial mid-term review meeting in Naivasha earlier this month.

They also wondered why Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai or Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni could not represent her if she was unavailable.

With mounting concerns over the functionality of SHIF, it remains to be seen whether the government will address the growing frustrations of both legislators and the public.

Meanwhile, Laikipia Woman Representative Jane Kagiri has called on the media to hold leaders accountable for their statements and actions regarding SHIF.

“Media should hold us accountable for every word we say. Some leaders criticize SHIF, yet they passed the bill in Parliament. If they disapprove of it now, they must explain to their electorate whether they were absent during the vote or unaware of what they were passing,” Kagiri said during the Citizen TV interview.