President William Ruto has announced that the government will fully cover the registration of 1.5 million Kenyans under the Social Health Authority (SHA) starting next week.
This move is aimed at supporting vulnerable families who cannot afford the mandatory contributions required to benefit from the national health insurance programme.
In a statement released by Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Special Projects and Creative Economy at the Executive Office of the President, the government confirmed that the group of beneficiaries has already been identified.
“We have identified 1.5 million Kenyans who are unable to pay the SHA registration fee,” Itumbi stated. “The government will meet the entire cost on their behalf, and the payment process will officially begin next week,” he added.
Although registering with SHA itself does not require any fee, members are expected to contribute a minimum of Ksh300 every month.
This is usually paid as a lump sum of Ksh3,600 for the year in order to enjoy full medical cover benefits. For many struggling households, this cost has been a challenge, prompting the government’s intervention.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, September 2, comes just a few days after President Ruto had assured Kenyans that the government would step in to pay SHA contributions for those who cannot afford it.
At the time, he did not specify the start date but made it clear that only needy citizens identified through a strict vetting process would qualify for the support.
Ruto explained that this initiative has been made possible through what he described as a fair and balanced collection of the mandatory 2.75 percent SHA contributions from employed Kenyans.
According to him, the funds raised through this process are now being redirected to assist those in society who are most in need.
This directive follows another measure by the President earlier this year, where he ordered all Level 1 to Level 4 hospitals across the country to provide free healthcare to Kenyans already registered with SHA.
Speaking during a tour in Embu on Sunday, June 6, Ruto revealed that the government had already released money to cover treatment costs in these hospitals.
He emphasized that patients seeking services in these facilities should not be charged for treatment. “When you are registered with the authority, you should walk into any hospital classified between levels one to four and get treated without paying anything.
We have already allocated funds to these facilities, and they have clear instructions not to charge Kenyans,” the President said.
Ruto further urged citizens to report hospitals that still demand money despite the government’s directive. He encouraged Kenyans to call the official helpline 147 if they encounter such cases.
“There are still some hospitals asking for small payments like Ksh200 or Ksh100. I want to ask Kenyans not to pay such charges but instead report them to us immediately so that we can take action.
We have already shut down some facilities that were exploiting patients and ignoring government instructions,” he added.
The government hopes that by clearing the SHA costs for the 1.5 million most vulnerable Kenyans, access to healthcare will improve significantly, while at the same time ensuring that no one is left behind in the country’s journey toward universal health coverage.
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