TEACHERS’ PREMIUMS OF DEATH: PRINCIPAL’S DEATH CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE FUTILITY OF THE SO-CALLED AON COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL COVER

TEACHERS’ PREMIUMS OF DEATH: PRINCIPAL’S DEATH CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE FUTILITY OF THE SO-CALLED AON COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL COVER

Death is painful. Untimely death is worse especially to the bereaved –family members and close friends. Over the weekend, unfortunate news of a Homa bay school principal of Ober Secondary school having succumbed to Covid 19 complications hit the internet especially on teacher social media groups.

The news trended because rumors had it that the late principal had developed health complications after hosting a staff meeting at his school.

It is alleged that he had invited his staff members for a meeting despite the government’s ban on social gatherings of such kind.

It is important to note that all teachers are on government-directed leave following the advent of this novel virus-Covid 19. He is said to have left for his home in Migori where he started complaining of ill health.

Lack of comprehensive medical cover!

While at home the principal is reported to have sought medical attention from a local health facility.

Later on initial reports indicate that he was evacuated to the AGHA KHAN HOSPITAL Kisumu for some sort of specialized treatment and it is here that the hospital declined to admit him for what was termed as lack of a comprehensive medical cover!

Unregistered with AON MINET

Now this is absurd! It is said that those who had accompanied the now late principal had tried following up the matter, only to be informed that the teacher had not registered for the teachers’ insurance cover!

This is at least according to a post by Kodhek Amunga Akhanyalabandu on Mwalimu Dot Com- A teachers’ Facebook page.

Too many unanswered questions!

What a joke! And wait, where are our unions?

Aren’t all teachers’ payslips mutilated for this very medical scheme? Is it an optional medical scheme? What is this that is being referred to as a comprehensive medical cover for teachers?

Aren’t all teachers subjected to two medical cover deductions? The So-called comprehensive NHIF COVER and the elephant in the room-AON MINET, whose deductions are never reflected on the payslip anyway?

Teachers, shouldn’t the insurance premiums payable every month to the insurance provider reflect on the payslip? How can I as a teacher know the amount of money I have contributed to this so-called super cover for teachers if it is never reflecting on my payslip?

I have always thought (in my simplistic, AEIOU way of thinking) that this AON-MINET covered all Kenyan, government-employed teachers. Isn’t this the reason why TSC recently reminded us of uploading our dependant(s) documents validating them as beneficiaries? So the questions begging for answers are: How possible is it that the late Homa bay principal wasn’t a member of this AON-MINET cover?

What did the AGHA KHAN hospital Kisumu refer to as lack of Comprehensive Medical cover yet the advanced NHIF and AON-MINET deductions are done every month from the teachers’ pay?

Shoddy, backstreet, ‘Mugo Wa Wairimu’ kind of health care facilities!

Why is it that the very best hospitals and other health care facilities worth their salt do not admit teachers and their dependants on the AON-MINET cover?

Why is it that it is only some shoddy health care facilities that admit teachers for treatment on this AON cover?

The teachers’ social media groups are awash with scary experiences at the hands of very inexperienced medical care providers in these bogus health care centers! We have even seen it in the news of some teachers going berserk and causing unsavory scenes at these very facilities after hours and hours of frustrations! For how long will Kenyan teachers continue suffering and dying for lack of proper medical insurance covers?

Is it not absurd that the amounts deducted from our payslips do not match with the services we get?

It is time we evaluated this engagement as the main stakeholders! Are you aware that AON MINET was scrapped off from the men in uniform’s pay?

Kenyan teachers seem to be the most naïve and gullible lot! With all these buffooneries, our Unions (KUPPET and KNUT) are enjoying our every end of month deductions! Aren’t they lucky?