The uptake of health insurance in the country is still low, Kenya Demographic and Health Survey has revealed.

It shows only one in every four Kenyans has some form of insurance with only 26 per cent of females insured while only 27 per cent of males are covered.

National Hospital Insurance fund(NHIF)’s uptake  is below expectations for both men and women.

For people aged 15 to 49 years, only 26 per cent are covered by NHIF while four per cent of women and five per cent of men are covered by a private insurance company.

For those 50 years and above, 28 per cent of women have the national insurance cover while 34 per cent of men are covered by the insurer.

People in the rural areas are trailing in taking up any form of insurance with less than 20 per cent of both genders being fully covered.

The study indicates the finances to be one major forces behind insurance cover uptake as the rate of coverage increases according to the wealth.

KDHS reports indicate that more than 50 per cent of NHIF covers people from highest income and only four per cent from low income homes are covered by the national health insurance.

According to the data, more than 60 per cent of both genders are not covered or do not know their health coverage status.

For people between 15 and 49 years, 71 per cent could not tell of their insurance status while 69 per cent of those in the 50 plus age bracket, were in the dark on their insurance status.