NHIF headquarters. [Photo/the-star.co.ke]

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The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) has added 204 public, private and faith-based hospitals and dispensaries to its list of accredited facilities, offering Kenyans more places to access healthcare.

The move comes amidst a prolonged nationwide nurses’ strike that has seen more than 50 per cent of public health facilities remain closed since June, causing suffering and deaths, especially of hundreds of mothers during childbirth.

If the strike comes to an end, it means that the over 6.5 million NHIF members would have more places to access both inpatient and outpatient services.

At least nine sub-county hospitals have been NHIF-accredited to offer both inpatient and outpatient services.

Some of the country’s top hospitals such as Aga Khan Hospital Kitengela, Gertrude’s Garden Children’s Hospital Nairobi West Clinic, Getrude’s Garden Children’s Hospital Nyali Medical Clinic and the Texas Cancer Centre Eldoret are among those listed for outpatient and inpatient services. “The newly added facilities met the requirements for accreditation and the Fund is set to sign contracts with them so that they start offering services,” NHIF chief executive Geoffrey Mwangi said.

“We are geared towards providing more services and the more the hospitals the more the access to quality healthcare.”