The most common ailments afflicting secondary school students are dental, eye and complications linked to drugs and substance abuse, a government report shows.
The report, prepared by the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the Education ministry, also cites tumours and surgeries resulting from injuries.
The government launched the Edu Afya comprehensive medical scheme for all public secondary students last year, covering all students captured under the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) and registered with NHIF.
The report says only 640,745 students have used the scheme since April last year when it came into effect, out of a learner population of about 2.7 million. Some 607,738 have been treated as outpatients, 30,995 as inpatients while two sought medical care overseas. The ministry negotiated an annual premium of Sh1,350 per student and paid about Sh2.5 billion to cover 2,785 students from May to December last year.
According to the report, likely to be tabled at the ongoing Kenya Secondary School Heads Association meeting in Mombasa, Bungoma County leads with the highest number of claims at 58,678 at a cost of Sh89.7 million. It is followed by Kakamega with 45,124 claims worth Sh107 million, Kisumu with 31,252 at Sh82 million and Siaya with 31,398 at Sh74 million.