Ministry optimistic about SHA success as Kenyans continue to register

Senior Ministry of Health officials have expressed optimism that the new public health insurance programme, dubbed the Social Health Authority (SHA), will attract widespread subscriptions from Kenyans.

Speaking on Citizen TV, Harry Kimtai, the Principal Secretary for Medical Services at the Ministry of Health, said that initial registration numbers were low when the government began informing Kenyans about the SHA, but they have since grown as more people understand the programme's benefits.

“When we first notified Kenyans that it was time to register for SHA, the figures were low. However, as we continued raising awareness and explaining the benefits of the SHA, we started to see the numbers increase. Right now, as we speak, we have 1.7 million Kenyans registered. In the morning, we had about 1.5 to 1.6 million, but by the evening, we had reached 1.7 million. This shows that many Kenyans are signing up,” said the PS.

Those who have registered will begin receiving healthcare services under the new scheme starting from Tuesday next week.

“From October 1, they will receive their insurance services under the Social Health Authority’s new packages, not the NHIF. Many are now migrating to the new scheme, especially those who are aware of the shift,” he said, adding that members of the nearly defunct NHIF were informed of the transition via text messages.

The rollout of SHA on Tuesday will not mark the deadline for migration to the new scheme, as more Kenyans are being born every day, said Elijah Wachira, the Acting CEO of the SHA.

“However, we encourage early registration because illness can strike at any time, and we wouldn’t want a situation where someone is unwell and unable to access services,” he said.

The Ministry is working with hospitals to help patients register from their facilities.

“What will happen on October 1 is the launch of this new healthcare financing system by SHA. If you walk into a hospital from that day and haven’t registered, you’ll be required to sign up first. The good news is that registration can be completed directly on your phone,” the CEO explained.

The officials said that continued public awareness of the insurance benefits would ensure sustained registration and a successful rollout.