Lamu, KENYA: The county government of Lamu has announced plans to enroll a total of 20,000 households into the National Hospital Insurance Fund-NHIF.
The households are specifically handpicked since the program only targets needy and poor families who can’t afford to enroll into the insurance cover by themselves.
A total of sh.120 million has been allocated in this year’s 2018/19 budget allocation towards the course.
On Wednesday,the county assembly unanimously passed a Sh.4.5 Billion budget in which the Health docket was allocated the lion’s share of Sh.1.2 Billion.
Lamu governor Fahim Twaha says the enrolment of the families into the free NHIF cover falls in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s big four agenda which includes universal health care.
“It’s a duty of counties to lend precedence to the big four agenda in whichever way they can.Thast why we are having the 20,000 sponsored for NHIF.Any leadership should be considerate of the health care of the those who can’t afford it.Thats why we are holding their hands,”said Twaha.
In this year’s budgetary allocations, Sh 200 million was set aside for the purchase and installation of electric street lights while Sh 123 million others were set aside for water supply and connections in the county.
A total of sh.78 Million will go towards catering for the establishment of ECDE centres and payment of ECDE teachers.
Another Sh 50 million was allocated towards the improvement of transport and infrastructure in major towns in Lamu including construction of cabro pavements.
The budget also sets aside Sh 30 million for the purchase of seeds and fertilizers for farmers in the county while Sh 15 million goes towards free enrolment of youth in driving schools to enable them attain driving and coxswain licenses.
In the Sh.4.5 Billion budget,Sh.2.6 Billion goes into recurrent expenditure while Sh.1.9 Billion goes into development which translates to 42% of the budget.
