By Christopher Omondi.
The Social Health Authority has a series of inconveniences. In Kisumu County, we have also been affected by SHA, especially in the main public hospital, the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), which has not been accepting SHA to cater for the outpatient services, making patients dig deeper in their pockets despite being in desperate need for health services.
The patients have found it harder because even those being admitted for the Social Health Authority fund have to pay the full cost of 6000 medical insurance cover for the whole year, which most people can’t cover.
“I was recently denied admission into JOOTRH as I was not referred by the sub-county hospitals so I had to chip in from my pocket to get the outpatient services. SHA does not cover the costs. My question is as a person coming from Manyatta which other Hospital do I have to go to, because this is the closest facility to me, they even mentioned something about listed hospitals that we should attend before eventually being referred to the JOOTRH.” says Kevin Omondi.
The Social Health Authority (SHA) aims to provide primary healthcare services at level 2 and 3 hospitals under the Primary Healthcare Fund, covering basic health education, consultations, treatments, basic laboratory tests, while also extending to maternity, Newborn and Child health services that include antenatal care and basic delivery services, this is according to the Ministry of Health portal.
Some members of the community feel more work should be done, “Most level 2 provide outpatient services and often in a dispensary or clinic focus, which is why JOOTRH moved outpatient services to the lower levels. The problem is that most of the clinics are neglected and in most cases lack appropriate equipment and personnel to carry out the services required, while the level 3 hospitals that offer a much broader range of services face overcrowding as the workforce is not enough to cater for all the patients.’’
The Social Health Authority (SHA) has a lot to do in terms of services getting to everyone that desperately needs them, but at the moment, it looks like the patients are still meant to dig deeper in their pockets to get the services, even in desperation.
