Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has announced that children under the age of five will be treated for free at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH).
The initiative, which will be funded by various revenue streams generated by the county, will also cover morgue expenses for infants.
Speaking to journalists at his office on Tuesday, Nassir said that the move was aimed at easing the burden on parents who have to pay for their children’s healthcare.
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“I have directed that children aged five years and below will receive free medical treatment and care at the Coast General Teaching and Referral hospital from now henceforth,” he said.
“My administration will pump in a further Sh. 6 million to assist needy citizens with their medical expenses.”
Nassir added that his government would in the near future roll out the Universal Health Coverage initiative, which would see approximately 15,000 families in the Coastal County enrolled in the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
He also said that the health department would conduct free medical camps across the county in a bid to delocalize much needed services to residents.
The announcement comes after the commissioning of 2,387 Community Health Workers (CHVs) who will augment and bolster service delivery at the grass root level.
Nassir has also directed the CEC in charge of health to make necessary arrangements to have the CHVs run through relevant courses that are aligned to their specialties in order to increase their competence and later be absorbed into the county health department.
Meanwhile, the Governor clarified issues surrounding reports going round that his administration has halted donor support to health facilities and individuals seeking services at different medical centers in the County.
He said that no such directive has been issued by his office and made it clear that donor support was welcomed but a structured approach should be employed in order to keep a record that the county health department can refer to for concurrence.
“We cannot allow a head of every single facility without the agreement of the requisite authority for county facilities to seek donations without going through the laid-down procedures,” said Nassir.
The Governor’s announcement has been welcomed by residents, who have expressed gratitude for the move.
They have also urged the government to ensure that the initiative is implemented effectively and that the quality of care at the CGTRH is maintained.
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