6 Ugandan MPs in Kenya to benchmark Kitui health insurance scheme

Six Ugandan MPs have begun a three-day benchmarking tour of Kitui County to study the health insurance scheme.

The Ugandan parliamentary health committee started their visit at Kitui level IV Hospital to see how patients under the county based insurance cover are served.

The chairman, Micheal Bukenya, said Uganda is in the process of establishing similar health insurance cover hence the need to learn how it works.

He said they chose Kitui because its health insurance cover is more unique as compared to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) in ensuring all residents access quality and affordable health care.

Bukenya said he was impressed by the infrastructure and services at the Kitui hospital as there were still patients being served at night unlike in Uganda.

The Kitui county health insurance cover (K-CHIC) was set up a year ago.

Every household pays Ksh. 1000 annually as their medical cover.

Over 120,000 househoulds in the county have subscribed for the cover.

The Ugandan MPs are expected to tour other health facilities in the county on Wednesday.