KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Reports Findings in Hypertension (Examining the responsiveness of the National Health Insurance Fund to people living with hypertension and diabetes in Kenya: a qualitative study): Cardiovascular Diseases and Conditions – Hypertension

2023 JUL 17 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Information Technology Business Daily -- New research on Cardiovascular Diseases and Conditions - Hypertension is the subject of a report. According to news originating from Nairobi, Kenya, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “To assess the responsiveness of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Supa Cover benefit package to the needs of individuals with diabetes and hypertension in Kenya. We carried out a qualitative study and collected data using key informant interviews (n=39) and focus group discussions (n=4) in two purposively selected counties in Western Kenya.”

Financial supporters for this research include KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust.

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, “Study participants were drawn from NHIF officials, county government officials, health facility managers, healthcare workers and individuals with hypertension and diabetes who were enrolled in NHIF. We analysed data using a thematic approach. Study participants reported that the NHIF Supa Cover benefit package expanded access to services for people living with hypertension and diabetes. However, the NHIF members and healthcare workers had inadequate awareness of the NHIF service entitlements. The NHIF benefit package inadequately covered the range of services needed by people living with hypertension and diabetes and the benefits package did not prioritise preventive and promotive services. Sometimes patients were discriminated against by healthcare providers who preferred cash-paying patients, and some NHIF-empanelled health facilities had inadequate structural inputs essential for quality of care. Study participants felt that the NHIF premium for the general scheme was unaffordable, and NHIF members faced additional out-of-pocket costs because of additional payments for services not available or covered. Whereas NHIF has reduced financial barriers for hypertension and diabetes patients, to enhance its responsiveness to patient needs, NHIF should implement mechanisms to increase benefit package awareness among members and providers.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “In addition, preventive and promotive services should be included in NHIF’s benefits package and mechanisms to monitor and hold contracted providers accountable should be strengthened.”

For more information on this research see: Examining the responsiveness of the National Health Insurance Fund to people living with hypertension and diabetes in Kenya: a qualitative study. BMJ Open, 2023;13(7). BMJ Open can be contacted at: Bmj Publishing Group, British Med Assoc House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9JR, England. (BMJ Publishing Group - http://group.bmj.com/; BMJ Open - http://bmjopen.bmj.com/)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from Robinson Oyando, Health Economics Research Unit (HERU), KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Nairobi, Kenya. Additional authors for this research include Vincent Were, Ruth Willis, Hillary Koros, Jemima H. Kamano, Violet Naanyu, Anthony Etyang, Richard Mugo, Adrianna Murphy, Ellen Nolte, Pablo Perel and Edwine Barasa.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069330. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

The publisher’s contact information for the journal BMJ Open is: Bmj Publishing Group, British Med Assoc House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9JR, England.

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