Nearly 89,000 patients treated in 19 days as Mombasa's free healthcare programme extended to November

Nearly 89,000 patients treated in 19 days as Mombasa's free healthcare programme extended to November

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has extended the Babacare free healthcare programme to November after 88,956 patients sought treatment during its first 19 days, citing the high demand for services at public hospitals.

The governor said the programme, which was initially scheduled to run in October, would continue for another month to allow more residents to access treatment without paying hospital bills.

Abdulswamad announced the extension while acknowledging the pressure the initiative had placed on healthcare workers, praising doctors, nurses and other staff for serving the growing number of patients.

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“After seeing the high number of people seeking treatment, we have decided to extend free healthcare to cover both October and November,” he said.

The extension comes as the county seeks to expand access to healthcare alongside other social programmes, including free pre-primary education and school feeding initiatives.

Abdulswamad said residents had also called for greater attention to primary school pupils, particularly their nutritional needs, as the county continues to pursue measures aimed at reducing the cost of essential services for families.

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The governor said the county had invested in medical equipment, including machines for laboratory tests, X-rays and CT scans, while recruiting additional doctors and nurses to strengthen services at public hospitals.

He said the investments were intended to improve access to diagnosis and treatment, reducing the need for patients to seek services outside the county.

Governor Abdulswamad also directed public hospitals to ensure that patients were not turned away or asked to pay for treatment under the programme.

He said patients arriving at hospitals should first be asked whether they were registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

Those who were not registered should be assisted to enrol, while those unable to afford the required contributions would receive support from the county.

“We have put measures in place to ensure that patients are not sent away. If someone does not have SHA, we should help them register. If they cannot afford to pay, we will pay for them,” he said.

The governor added that the county had worked with the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) and other medicine suppliers to ensure public hospitals had adequate stocks of essential drugs.

“I do not want to hear of anyone being told to go elsewhere to seek treatment,” he said.

To address complaints of patients being asked to pay for services covered by the initiative, Abdulswamad said the county had established a reporting mechanism to identify health workers or other individuals violating the directive.

He urged residents who encountered such cases to report them through the hotline 1599, saying the county would follow up on complaints and take action against those found responsible.

“Anyone who goes to hospital and is told to pay should report the matter through the hotline. We want to know those responsible,” he said.

The extension is expected to allow more residents to benefit from the programme as the county works to improve staffing, equipment and the availability of medicines in its public health facilities.