• Governor Kimani Wamatangi’s healthcare initiative, Wamatangi Care, launched in 2023, provides free healthcare coverage at accredited public and private facilities
• The program provides comprehensive services including outpatient and inpatient care for chronic conditions such as diabetes and cancer, which many Kiambu residents benefit from
• Testimonies from residents like Kamau wa Kimani reveal the effectiveness of the initiative, covering significant medical expenses
• Despite introduction of Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), Kiambu residents express confidence in Wamatangi Care

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience in Kenyan politics and current affairs.

Kiambu – Governor Kimani Wamatangi’s healthcare initiative known as Wamatangi Care has won widespread praise for transforming access to healthcare in the county.

Launched in 2023, the program provides free medical coverage for residents of accredited public and private medical facilities.

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Wamatangi Care covers outpatient and inpatient services as well as chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer and high blood pressure.

The program has already had a positive impact on many Kiambu residents with the bereaved family receiving KSh 100,000 as the last expense cover in case of death.

Kamau wa Kimani from Kangoya village, Ndumberi Ward, initially doubted the initiative, believing it could be a typical political ploy.

However, he signed up for Wamatangi Care and was pleasantly surprised by the smooth registration process.

Kimani, who later suffered a life-changing accident, says the program came to him when he needed it most.

“I had an accident during my daily duties. I was treated in a hospital in Ngong in Kajiado County without paying a dime, Wamatangi Care covering KSh 130,000 for hospitalization. I was operated on and spent four days in the hospital,” he said TUKO.co.ke.

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How Wamatangi Care will integrate with SHIF

The program’s impact extends beyond emergency cases to long-term medical support for chronic illnesses.

Harun Mbugua, a resident of Gatitu, said he helped his family when his mother was admitted to Nazareth Hospital with a serious illness.

The family, faced with a staggering bill of KSh 150,000, received the financial support they needed through the programme.

Despite the launch of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), which aims to streamline healthcare financing and replace NHIFKiambu residents remain confident in Wamatangi Care.

The national government’s launch of the SHIF, as mandated by the Social Health Act, is a plan to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya.

SHIF is designed to centralize healthcare financing to ensure that every Kenyan has access to quality healthcare.

Source: TUKO.co.ke