The County Diary

Rural private Hospitals association of Kenya calls for urgent attention to Nhif payment crisis  By Maximilla WAFULA & Patrick KIMANZI  County Diary news  The Rural Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA), representing over 400 healthcarefacilities across the country today addresser  the ongoing crisis surrounding the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). They have issued a 7-day notice of change in access to benefits for NHIF  beneficiaries due to persistent breaches of contract by NHIF in meeting its financial obligations to healthcare facilities. Unfortunately, the NHIF has not made significant efforts to rectify the situation. Over the past 8 months, NHIF has consistently failed to pay or underpaid for services rendered,  with payouts for medical and surgical admissions ranging from 5-10% of valid claims. Contractual quarterly capitation payments for outpatient services have not been remitted for the OCT-DEC quarter, and the Lin...

By PATRICK KIMANZI / The COUNTY DIARY  We Care For Humanity, an NGO based in the USA today launched two shallow wells in Kenya, part of it's blueprint to ensure water availability in arid areas of the country, local news outlets said. The aid delegation was  led by Queen Maria Torres of Philippines, but currently residing in the USA. "We have sunk, installed and commissioned 2 shallow wells in two semo-arid Kenyan villages namely Kaaka, Mwambui and in WAITA Location, Mwingi, Kitui County" she said as she handed the wells to the community flanked by flamboyant area legislator Hon Gideon MULYUNGI. MULYUNGI himself, a local development icon in his own right, has sunk, installed and launched over 35 modern and permanent machine-drilled boreholes, 300 shy of his total 35 boreholes, one for each primary and secondary school in the vast constituency. "Queen Maria is a friend of my party leader Kalonzo Musyoka" said the firebrand politician who recently added another fe...

Giant Naivas supermarket makes maiden grand entry into Kakamega town  By MAXIMILLA WAFULA & PATRICK KIMANZI (Editor) County Diary News . Leading retailer Naivas Supermarket makes a maiden grand entry shop in Kakamega town  for the very first time since its inception.  This is not only a momentous occasion as the retailer enters a new town but because it has started its journey  of growing beyond 100. The supermarket chain now boasts of 101 branches and it’s so apt that this journey kicks off in a completely new territory.  The new branch, number 101, is located at the at the newly constructed  Cathedral Mall with Naivas being anchor tenant.The outlet covers 32,000 square feet of trading space on two floors. It has a well thought out customer journey, carefully crafted product catalogue, beautiful interior giving it a modern look and feel that guarantees an aesthetically pleasing shopping experience. This is in line with Naivas mission of off...

Photo: By Brian Kinyanjui . (Caption :  Erin Turner , CEO Of Consumer Policy Research Center Australia. )  By  MAXIMILLA WAFULA  The COUNTY News Diary  Australian Consumer Policy Makers Calls For Global Concerted Efforts Against Greenwashing. Erin Turner, CEO of Consumer Policy Research Centre Australia on Thursday called for global concerted efforts against greenwashing.Turner told the Consumer International Global Congress that is taking place in Nairobi that much needed scrutiny is now being placed on green declarations in order to drive the uptake of credible green claims.” We need coordinated efforts to ensure that consumers are not doped into believing that the products they are purchasing are green,” Turner said.According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, up to 70% of greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through changes to consumer behaviour.Turner added that providing ‘adequate information’ to consumers is also an essential...