All teachers, dependents now eligible for SHA healthcare benefits- Duale
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale made the announcement, highlighting that teachers, like other registered and contributing Kenyans, can now access these health benefits.
The Ministry of Health has announced that all teachers and their dependents are now eligible for the Social Health Authority’s (SHA) benefits.
This includes coverage under three major funds: the Primary Healthcare Fund (PHC), the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Critical & Chronic Illness Fund (ECCIF).
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This comes days after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), through CEO Nancy Macharia, told the National Assembly Education Committee that efforts to enrol teachers on the SHA medical scheme were unsuccessful due to the Authority’s insufficient infrastructure countrywide to accommodate them.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale made the announcement, highlighting that teachers, like other registered and contributing Kenyans, can now access these health benefits.
Duale explained that the SHA currently serves over 21.6 million Kenyans, with an additional 50,000 people registering daily.
"All teachers and their dependents are now eligible for the same healthcare benefits as any other Kenyan registered with the SHA, including coverage under the Primary Healthcare Fund (PHC), Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Critical & Chronic Illness Fund (ECCIF),” said Duale in a statement.
“With 21.6 million people already enrolled and 50,000 more joining daily, SHA is expanding its reach, providing access to quality healthcare through over 8,000 facilities nationwide," he added.
While TSC provides a complementary insurance cover through a private insurer, Duale clarified that this is not managed by the SHA.
However, the TSC has the option to enrol its members in the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF), which offers additional benefits based on the budget allocated.
This allows teachers to benefit from a broader range of healthcare services alongside the standard SHA coverage.
“Employers such as the TSC can provide complementary insurance for their employees for additional benefits through a valid insurance underwriter,” Duale stated.
Limited funds
Macharia had told MPs that while the government allocated Sh20 billion to the scheme, SHA required Sh37 billion to onboard the teachers.
“This budget deficit has been a consistent obstacle,” said Macharia. “Even last year, when we considered transitioning to SHA, they told us they lacked the necessary infrastructure and needed Sh37 billion. We currently run the scheme with Sh20 billion.”
As a result, TSC renewed a three-year contract with Minet Insurance in December 2022, which runs until November 2025.
"We had a meeting with SHA before renewing our contract with Minet for this final year, and they informed us that they lacked sufficient infrastructure. They stated that they would need Sh37 billion to enrol our teachers, but even then, they were not prepared to take them on this year," she told the committee.
With the SHA's extensive network of contracted healthcare facilities and its rapid enrollment growth, the Ministry of Health aims to improve the quality of life for all registered members.
For teachers who are enrolled with SHA, the added option of complementary insurance through TSC provides an extra layer of coverage, ensuring that them and their dependents receive the medical attention they need.
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