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For years, 64-year-old Moses Munyao of Kundakindu in Wote has devoted himself to caring for his wife, who lives with diabetes. But meeting medical expenses has been an uphill battle.

Munyao registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA) in 2024. However, keeping up with the monthly contributions proved difficult. His main source of income is informal jua kali work which remains unpredictable, often leaving him unable to pay consistently.

On Wednesday, Munyao made his way to the Wote Social Hall at Greenpark, hoping for a breakthrough through the Makueni Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme. The initiative conducts household assessments across clusters in every ward to identify vulnerable residents in need of support.

His hopes were rewarded. Munyao was selected as a beneficiary and for the next one year, he and other successful applicants will access free medical services at public hospitals within and beyond Makueni County.

Beneficiaries under the scheme will receive comprehensive care, including inpatient and outpatient services, dental and optical treatment, chronic disease management, and emergency care.

The programme aligns with the national Social Health Authority (SHA) framework, advancing Universal Health Coverage for vulnerable and indigent households in the county.

Through the Makueni UHC programme, beneficiaries will be issued a Makuenicare Card, designed for portability across both public and private facilities, including those outside the county. The card will enable access to quality services from providers empaneled under the Makueni UHC framework.

County Executive Committee Member in charge of Health Services Docket notes that both non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer and communicable diseases remain a priority, given their significant contribution to illness and mortality.

Battling cancer during a harsh economic period is a double burden that many families are struggling to bear,even worse if it takes to selling household belongings to settle hospital bills.

For Eunice Syombua from Muvau, a mother of two secondary school children, the battle has been particularly difficult. She has been fighting leukemia and receiving treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital, where she attends medical check-ups every three weeks.

The long journey to recovery has come with weighty financial strain.

Syombua notes that although she was registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), her cover had not been active recently.

This forced her to sell her herd of cattle to settle medical bills that now amount to hundreds of thousands of shillings.

Doctors have advised her against engaging in strenuous activities, including household chores, leaving her dependent on the support of her elderly husband.

During the cluster assessment, Syombua was selected to benefit from the universal health coverage programme. She commended Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. for what she described as a brilliant health financing initiative, saying the support will allow her to focus on recovery and caring for her children without the constant fear of mounting hospital debts.

The mass registration exercise will continue until Friday this week.

Residents across Makueni County turned out in large numbers on Wednesday for the second day of the ongoing mass registration for the Makueni Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme.

In Nduumo Village, Mercy Wavinya, who is physically challenged, joined other residents of Kilili.

For much of her life, Wavinya has faced persistent hardships, particularly in meeting medical expenses, a burden made heavier by the fact that her children are also living with disabilities.

She explained that frequent hospital visits and the need for specialized care have repeatedly pushed the family’s limited resources to the brink.

Overjoyed after being enrolled as a beneficiary, Wavinya described the programme as a lifeline for families grappling with the hidden strain of healthcare costs.

She noted that beneficiaries will no longer be forced to choose between buying food and seeking treatment.

Residents of Nzaui-Kilili-Kalamba Ward in Makueni Sub-county have lauded the ongoing mass registration for Makueni’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme.

Anchored under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), the mass registration exercise targets over 200,000 residents across the county in a bid to cushion them against prohibitive out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.

Makueni County has committed to paying premiums for vulnerable households identified through public participation at the cluster level to ensure that as many residents as possible are covered.

The programme is part of Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s inclusivity agenda, aimed at ensuring a healthy citizenry in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Residents of Thange Ward have welcomed the county’s universal health coverage registration exercise, with many expressing optimism about its potential to ease the burden of medical expenses.

An elated Wambua Musau from the Utithi Cluster lauded Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s administration, describing the locally developed health financing framework as a thoughtful intervention. He said the programme is designed to enhance residents’ access to quality healthcare services while shielding families from financial strain caused by out-of-pocket medical costs.

Musau noted that many households in the area have long struggled to pay hospital bills, often turning to WhatsApp groups to raise funds.

“Hardly a week passes without contributions being sought for medical needs,” he said, adding that the collections are sometimes insufficient due to multiple simultaneous appeals within the community.

A team of health officials and county administrators visited Thange Ward, where they oversaw outreach and registration activities.

Residents from Kinyambu, Kalulu, Utithi and Kikunduku villages turned up in large numbers to enroll in the county’s universal health coverage program.

The exercise, which runs from Tuesday to Friday this week, also includes mass registration for the Social Health Authority (SHA).

Janet Mutindi, 32, a mother of three from Kamunyulo Village in Wote/Nziu Ward, has every reason to smile after her family received a lifeline through the county’s health coverage initiative.

Since marrying her husband in 2017, Mutindi has been caring for her father-in-law, who has been battling a persistent cough that at times leads to vomiting. The family has struggled to raise the surgery fees recommended by doctors, leaving them anxious and financially strained.

However, on Tuesday, the administration of Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. came to their rescue.

Through a household assessment conducted by all the clusters, Mutindi’s father-in-law was identified as one of the beneficiaries of the Makueni Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program currently being rolled out across the county.

He is among many vulnerable residents targeted under the ongoing mass Social Health Authority (SHA) registration and the county’s universal health coverage program, which aims to cushion needy households from the vagaries of difficult economic times.

County Executive Committee Member for Health Services Joyce Mutua on Tuesday officially launched the Makueni County Universal Healthcare registration exercise, which is being conducted across all clusters in the county.

The exercise, running from Tuesday through Friday, is designed to cushion vulnerable households. It targets more than 200,000 residents and will be implemented in phases to ensure as many eligible beneficiaries as possible are accommodated.

Mutua called on Makueni residents to turn out in large numbers for the registration. She noted that the process also includes Social Health Authority (SHA) mass registration through the Afya Yangu platform, updating of dependant records, identification of vulnerable households for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and proxy means testing.

She urged residents to carry their national identification cards, a mobile phone, and birth certificates for children.

Speaking during the launch, Chief Officer for Health Human Resource and Management Dr. Harvey Mulei said healthcare financing remains a costly undertaking. He emphasized that the Makueni County Government is committed to ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services while protecting families from the financial strain of out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Mutua, accompanied by Acting Chief Officer for Health Services Irene Makau, later visited Bosnia Dispensary, where they interacted with residents. Hundreds of locals turned out for the registration exercise.