NHIF Appoints Elijah Wachira As New CEO

He will serve for a three-year term with the possibility of one final extension at the end of the period.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Oct 5, 2023 - 20:31 Updated: Oct 5, 2023 - 21:20
0
NHIF Appoints Elijah Wachira As New CEO
NHIF Building in Nairobi. /KENYAN WALLSTREET

The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) board has announced the appointment of Elijah Wachira as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

NHIF Board chair Michael Kamau announced Wachira's appointment in a statement on Thursday, October 5.

Wachira will take over as CEO from Samson Kuhora who has been holding the position in an acting capacity following the retirement of Peter Kamunyo in April 2023.

He will serve for a three-year term with the possibility of one final extension at the end of the period.

Newly-appointed NHIF CEO, Elijah Wachira. /X.MWANGO CAPITAL

Kamau also appointed six new directors including Hazel Koitaba who has been appointed as Director of Beneficiary and Provider Management and Ibrahim Mohamed Alio (Director of Corporate Services).

Pariken Ole Sankei has been appointed as Director of Internal Audit and Catherine Mungania was named the Corporation Secretary/ Director of Legal Services.

Other appointments as directors include Robert Ingasira (Director of Financial Services)  and Martin Ayoo (Director of Information a Communication Technology).

“The new management team brings on board an invaluable wealth of experience that will immensely contribute to the transition of the Fund into its successor," stated Kamau.

The directors on their part will hold the positions for a five-year term each and they will be eligible for re-appointment at the end based on performance.

Ruto To Scrap NHIF After 57 Years

President William Ruto on Tuesday, August 29 set in motion a plan to scrap NHIF and create three separate funds in its place, the first time since 1966 that NHIF faces a complete abolishment.

By revoking NHIF and replacing it, President Ruto seeks to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as set out within his plan for a healthier nation espoused under the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

The following funds will therefore replace NHIF:

  1. Primary Healthcare Fund
  2. Social Health Insurance Fund
  3. Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund.

The funds will be created after Parliament passes the following bills to pave the way for the paradigm shift in healthcare financing in the country.

  1. The Primary Health Care Bill, 2023;
  2. The Social Health Insurance Bill, 2023.
  3. The Facility Improvement Financing Bill, 2023
  4. The Digital Health Bill, 2023;

“These bills usher in a paradigm in the legal and institutional framework for healthcare in Kenya,” Cabinet noted in a despatch.

The Digital Health Bill of 2023, will enable the development of standards towards the provision of m-health, telemedicine, and e-learning in healthcare.

“This new architecture is expected to provide a framework for improved health outcomes and financial protection of families in fidelity to the State's solemn duty to guarantee the health and welfare of all her citizens,” Cabinet dispatch read.

"I thank all staff for their dedication and support accorded to the acting CEO and Senior Management during the interim period."

Health CS Susan Nakhumicha at DP Rigathi Gachagua's Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting on October 5, 2023. /DPPS

Tags: