Laikipia County Government has implemented Universal Health Coverage (UHC) which has attracted attention of both the national government and other counties.
The county has the highest life expectancy in the country of 72 years against the national average of 66.7 years and with the second lowest under five mortality rate.
Three years ago, the county government launched a Community Health Strategy (CHS) an important component of the healthcare system which incorporated the Community Health Workers/ Volunteers (CHVs) to carry out the enrollment of the residents to the UHC.
The Laikipia UHC model has brought on board private entities such as Jubilee Insurance and Amref Health Africa to facilitate in the enrollment of medical insurance cover to the residents and emphasizes more on preventive aspects than on curative.
This makes CHVs quite essential in UHC as it has enrolled 67 percent of the households to NHIF.
Telemedicine
CHVs have designated areas over coverage and they are able to enroll families to NHIF. At the same time they are able to collect socio-economic data of the household.
The details in the programme was used to distribute food aid to vulnerable families at the height of Covid 19-pandemic, and also to identify families that qualify for medical cover subsidy.
Apart from committing more resources towards preventive aspects, the county government under Governor Ndiritu Muriithi is building the diagnostic capacity of dispensaries as well as streaming the referral system.
This has seen dispensaries at Wiyumiririe, Kalalu among others are equipped with modern lab equipment, and have functional units to ensure safe motherhoods.
The governor through the UHC concept has been invited to address health forums in Rwanda and Vietnam to discuss the unique model.
health in charge Dr Donald Mogoi said officials from the national and county governments benchmark on its best utilization to be enrolled countrywide.
“The governor has been encouraging citizens to enroll in NHIF whenever he meets Laikipians. He is always updated on what is going on in the health department, not because of COVID-19, but that has been his character,” said Mogoi.
He added that several counties have benchmarked with Laikipia on matters of quality health provision, automation of hospitals and interconnection with referral hospitals.
A week ago, delegates from Uasin Gishu visited the county to learn about the matter among other services offered in Laikipia.
