President William Ruto has reaffirmed his confidence in the newly introduced Social Health Authority (SHA) during the 61st Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kwale, emphasizing that the scheme will revolutionize healthcare in Kenya.

He assured that SHA will facilitate universal health coverage by providing Kenyans with accessible preventive and curative healthcare services.

PHOTO | COURTESY President William Ruto

Ruto highlighted that the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), a key component of SHA, will significantly improve healthcare delivery.

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“In a matter of weeks, SHIF will be fully operational, ensuring that the dream of universal coverage becomes a reality,” Ruto stated.

The scheme allows citizens to contribute and access comprehensive healthcare benefits, and Ruto assured that it offers excellent value for money.

He also addressed concerns over job security, affirming that all employees from the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) will transition smoothly to SHIF without job losses. “NHIF employees will be retained under SHIF, and I thank them for their service during this transition,” Ruto added.

As of early October 2024, 12.9 million Kenyans had registered with SHA. The president also noted that all public healthcare institutions and 50% of private facilities are now part of the program. He urged private hospitals to complete the contracting process to ensure the seamless rollout of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

PHOTO | COURTESY President William Ruto

Ruto assured that Ksh.3 billion has been allocated to evident outstanding payments to service providers, speeding up the implementation of UHC.

Following public outcry, the Ministry of Health clarified that the automatic enrollment of NHIF members into SHA, as outlined in legal notice 147 of 2024, is lawful.

Kenyans will contribute 2.75% of their monthly income, with a minimum contribution of Ksh.300, to support the new healthcare scheme.