Health ministry urges Kenyans to attend SHIF National Validation exercise

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Social Health Authority (SHA), is holding the National Validation Meeting on Social Health Insurance Tariffs and the Benefit Package on Friday, August 30th, 2024, at the KICC in Nairobi. The public is invited to participate and provide feedback.

The Social Health Insurance Fund, which began mass registration of Kenyans on July 1, 2024, seeks to address the shortcomings of the NHIF and introduce additional services.

Previously, the High Court nullified the Social Health Insurance Act of 2023, which was intended to replace the National Health Insurance Fund, citing insufficient public involvement. The court also struck down the Primary Healthcare Act of 2023 and the Digital Health Act of 2023.

A three-judge panel, consisting of Justices Alfred Mabeya, Robert Limo, and Fredrick Mugambi, granted Parliament 120 days to amend these laws, during which they remain suspended. The ruling highlighted concerns about the restriction of certain rights under these Acts, which are central to President William Ruto's health policy initiatives.

Last month, the Ministry of Health requested MPs to allocate Sh100 million for a new round of public participation on the Social Health Insurance and other Universal Health Coverage (UHC) laws that were recently declared unconstitutional by the courts.

Last week, Health Cabinet Secretary Dr Deborah Barasa emphasized the importance of public participation in validating the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). "Having undertaken public participation and stakeholder engagement and incorporated feedback from the public and stakeholders, the Cabinet Secretary and the Board of the Social Health Authority shall hold a National Validation Exercise on the Tariffs and the Benefit Package," reads a notice from Dr Barasa.

The new benefits package, intended to replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), was developed by former Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha in collaboration with the Social Health Authority Board. This initiative follows the enactment of the Social Health Insurance Act No. 16 of 2023 on October 19,