An Investigation of The Transitional Challenges from The National Hospital Insurance Fund In-Patient Scheme to The Universal Health Insurance: A Case of Nairobi County-Kenya

Abstract

Universal health insurance is about people having access to health care they need without suffering financial hardships in Kenya. Kenya like other countries is faced with transitional challenges in achieving universal health insurance in Africa. The purpose of this study was to investigate the transitional challenges from the National Hospital Insurance in-patient scheme to the universal health insurance. Its objectives were to investigate the reasons that validated the change from the in-patient insurance to universal health insurance, establish challenges faced by NHIF transitional process and to recommend strategies that can be used to achieve universal health insurance in Kenya. Descriptive research design was used and the target population was 300 employees drawn from seven NHIF branches in Nairobi County. Simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select a sample of 90 respondents. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires for primary respondents and in-depth interview guides for key informants, and data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Findings of the study revealed that a major validating factor for transition was to make NHIF a universal health insurance in the market and enhancing of benefit package. It was also revealed that the challenges that marred transitional process at NHIF included managerial, technical, human resource, customer oriented and information dissemination. It concluded that the major reason for transition from the NHIF in-patient scheme to the universal health insurance was to make it a universal health insurance in the Kenyan market and enhance the benefits package. It recommended that NHIF should involve stakeholders in the transition process to minimize challenges from NHIF in-patient scheme to universal health insurance in Kenya and that the suggested strategies by the respondents should be implemented to achieve universal health insurance.

Description

MASTER OF ARTS in Monitoring and Evaluation

Keywords

Universal health insurance, financial hardships, National Hospital Insurance

Citation

Chepkurui, K. P. (2017). An Investigation of The Transitional Challenges from The National Hospital Insurance Fund In-Patient Scheme to The Universal Health Insurance: A Case of Nairobi County-Kenya. Daystar University, School of Applied Human Sciences.