The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has blasted Kenyan insurance companies for neglecting teachers and other patients amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the union, insurance firms declared not to honour claims by Covid-19 patients from the onset as well as ignoring patients suffering from other ailments.
Through a statement by the union Secretary-General, Akelo Misori announced the recovery of their treasurer Wicks Mwethi Njenga who had been diagnosed with the deadly virus on July 11.
Apparently, Njenga had been under a two-week treatment at the Aga Khan hospital in Nairobi and upon discharge, the bills had accumulated to Sh3.8 million. Thus, the union alludes that the insurance companies ignored their mandate.
Read: NHIF To Cover COVID-19 Expenses In Government Hospitals
“In the treasurer’s case, compassion came in from all directions apart from his medical insurance company. His bill amounted to Sh3.8 million of which the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) paid its required share of Sh68,000 and the rest came from his own family and friends. His medical insurer abandoned him when he needed it most,” Misori said.
The union further indicated that it intends to liaise with other trade unions to hold insurance companies accountable for what they term as neglect amid the pandemic.
Misori further intimated that Private Insurance companies are motivated by greed and are very money-minded hence do not put the welfare of their clients first.
Read Also: Deductions Of Female Teachers’ Salaries By TSC For Kewota Is Illegal, Kuppet Says
“We will demand that private insurers – in particular those retained for public sector workers – become partners in their clients’ health or stop insuring public sector employees. This pandemic has opened our eyes to the behaviour of private healthcare providers,” he said.
This comes just days after NHIF announced that it would cater to costs relating to Coronavirus in government hospitals.
In a statement by the Institution CEO Peter Kamunyo, COVID-19 patients and their beneficiaries will receive support when admitted in designated facilities by the Ministry of Health.
These facilities include Kenyatta National Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital and Mbagathi County Hospital. Others are; county-designated facilities and any other facility as may be designated by the ministry.
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