Tea farmers in Kericho have called on the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) to prioritise introducing a health insurance cover for tea farmers in order to cushion farmers from exorbitant medical bills whenever they go for medication in health facilities.
Speaking to KNA in Litein, Kericho County, the farmers lamented that KTDA farmers were suffering despite their notable contributions and the significant impact tea has made in the country, being the leading producer and earning the country a lot in foreign exchange.
Led by Mr. Joseph Langat from Chemoiben in Bureti Sub-County, the farmers requested the government to consult the KTDA management to look into establishing a mandatory health insurance cover for the over 600,000 small scale tea farmers in the country.
Mr. Langat noted that tea farmers depended heavily on the produce to educate and provide for their families, and when health issues come up, they have little left to pay for medication and the purchase of drugs.
He said that if there was insurance cover for tea farmers, it would greatly assist the tea farmers and their families to shoulder the high cost of medication in health facilities.
Langat further suggested that every tea factory or tea zone should be compelled to build a hospital or a health facility for its shareholders; this would go a long way to supplement what the County and National governments are doing to support health care in the Country.
Mr. Langat suggested that deductions of as little as one shilling could be deducted from every kilo of tea produced by a farmer to go into this venture, with the tea agency supporting the other logistics towards the realisation of stable and reliable insurance and health facilities for tea farmers.
Multinational tea estates in Kericho, as part of their corporate responsibility to their workers and the community, have established health cottages to offer health services and basic treatment to the workers and the community.
By Dominic Cheres
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