Public servants in Uasin Gishu County underwent a comprehensive healthcare benefits awareness session on the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The sensitization exercise covered the newly introduced Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF), aimed at enhancing medical coverage for public officers.
The sensitization forum focused on SHA’s three core healthcare funds, the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), the Primary Healthcare Fund (PHCF), and the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF), as well as POMSF, a specialized scheme designed to provide additional medical benefits once a beneficiary exhausts the standard SHA cover.
Speaking during the forum, Deputy Director for SHA County Coordination, Valentine Morogo, said POMSF was established through Legal Notice No. 195 of 2024 to complement SHIF by providing enhanced healthcare services for civil servants and members of the disciplined forces.
Morogo said the scheme covers outpatient and inpatient services, dental and optical care, and emergency treatment and extends benefits to the principal member and up to six dependents.
Assistant Director of Administration at SHA Headquarters, Timothy Maluzi, said the fund was created to support the provision of a dedicated medical scheme for public officers while complementing the government’s Universal Health Coverage programme.
He noted that POMSF is financed through forfeited medical allowances by public officers and government budgetary allocations.
“The scheme offers comprehensive medical benefits, including outpatient and inpatient care, dental and optical services, overseas treatment, radiology services, annual medical check-ups, maternity care, rehabilitation for drug and substance abuse, chronic disease management, renal dialysis, evacuation services, and organ donor tests,” said Maluzi.
He added that SHA also provides travel insurance cover upon request for principal members traveling outside the country for a period not exceeding six weeks.
Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Eddyson Nyale urged public officers to take advantage of the annual medical check-up package available under POMSF to facilitate early detection and treatment of underlying health conditions.
“Routine medical screening will help officers remain healthy and productive by enabling early diagnosis before illnesses become severe,” said Dr. Nyale.
The annual medical examination includes a comprehensive physical assessment, blood pressure monitoring, blood sugar tests, cancer screening, and other preventive health services for both the principal member and spouse.
Uasin Gishu SHA County Manager Rukia Kanenje cautioned civil servants to ensure they provide accurate information when registering their dependents under the SHA system.
She cited cases where parents mistakenly entered the serial number on a child’s birth certificate instead of the actual birth certificate number, leading to errors in beneficiary records.
“Such mistakes often create serious challenges when defendants seek medical services. In some cases, the system displays incorrect names, causing unnecessary family disputes and making the errors difficult to rectify,” Kanenje said.
Participants were also briefed on services excluded from the scheme, including treatment obtained from non-contracted health facilities or through unauthorized referrals, measures intended to maintain quality standards and control healthcare costs.
The exclusions also cover treatment provided by chiropractors, acupuncturists, and herbalists, as well as self-prescribed medication and services to prevent abuse of the medical scheme.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
