Lack of marriage certificate hinders NHIF cover in Taita Taveta

Families living in Taita Taveta County may fail to benefit from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) due to lack of a marriage certificates that legally confirm  marital status.

According to Community Health Volunteers facilitating health services at grassroots level, majority of couples are not legally recognised despite having several children.

Agnes Mwaore from Mwatate narrated how most women are unable to convince their husbands on the importance of acquiring marriage certificates.

She urged couples to get the document so that they are covered under NHIF.

A section of women echoed her sentiments claiming that their husbands have mpango wa kandos (girlfriends) habit which in most cases demoralises women from engaging in the marriage certificate debate.

On his part, Mr. Stephen Mkaya — a community health volunteer in Mwatate– said the county government, NHIF and the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF)  will conduct civic education alongside churches and mosques.

He also called on couples to visit the Registrar’s office for processing of marriage certificates.

Mr. Peter Mbugua, a NHIF compliance officer, said husbands and their wives should take advantage of the NHIF registration process to get their documents in order.

The officials were speaking during the Afya Bora Mashinani program that is targeting over 150,000 households in the region.

Report by Keith Wangwe