KUPPET threatens exit from SHA amid wavy teachers’ medical scheme

A bitter standoff has erupted between the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the government over the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF), with the union threatening to withdraw from the Social Health Authority (SHA), entirely

The union led by its officials, cited frequent system breakdowns, a limited number of participating hospitals, and woefully inadequate funding allocations, particularly for accident and emergency services.

KUPPET singled out the current issue whereby one teacher injured in an accident outside City Primary School in Ngara, Nairobi in January remained stranded at Aga Khan Hospital weeks after being discharged, unable to leave over an outstanding bill.

The state worsened after the family was handed a bill of Ksh 3.9 million to cover for the three surgeries undertaken by the teacher. SHA, they were told, would only cover Ksh 1 million, leaving KUPPET and the family scrambling to raise the remaining Ksh 2.9 million through fundraising.

The union now says the Ngara case is not an isolated incident. Several teachers have been denied treatment at hospitals unwilling to honour the scheme, while others have been detained in health facilities over unpaid bills that SHA has failed to settle.

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KUPPET National Chairperson Omboko Milemba said the situation was especially dire in Bungoma, Coast and Western regions, where hospitals were openly telling teachers that SHA would not pay for their treatment.

He further accused SHA of encouraging health facilities to collect money directly from teachers, warning that the Union would not stand for it.

Teachers have since issued a seven-day strike notice to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), demanding that their employer intervene to protect members from what the union calls an unacceptable breakdown in healthcare access.

However, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has denied the claims, maintaining that scheme is fully operational and many teachers have immensely benefited.

“The POMSF, administered under the Social Health Authority, is not only fully operational but is performing exceptionally well, ensuring that the health needs of our educators are met without disruption,” Duale said

By Benedict Aoya