President William Ruto has provided a detailed explanation for the government's decision to transition from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
Speaking on X space, he emphasized that the shift is aimed at expanding healthcare access to all Kenyans, including those who cannot afford it, and tackling corruption that has plagued NHIF.
"We are shifting to SHIF because NHIF is limited; it only captures the small sections of our society," President Ruto stated.
"I committed to ensure every Kenyan has access to healthcare and insurance, even those who cannot afford it. No wonder we have brought in a means testing system."
President Ruto acknowledged that the implementation of SHIF has faced significant delays.
However, he attributed these setbacks to powerful cartels entrenched within NHIF, who have moved to court to halt the transition to continue exploiting the system for financial gain.
"SHIF is delaying to rollout because cartels who were benefiting from NHIF through corruption moved to court to stop the crossover so that they can continue fleecing money from the health insurer," Ruto explained.
When the Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha took over the Ministry of Health, she highlighted the challenges the docket faced from these corrupt elements.
She pointed out that these cartels have been actively sabotaging efforts to reform the healthcare system and improve service delivery.
"Cartels are sabotaging my work in the ministry," Nakhumicha lamented.
During a church event in Kitale, Nakhumicha said she was going to mention cartels engaged in fraud in the health insurer.
"The war against graft in Kemsa and NHIF is on and no amount of intimidation will stop me from acting. I am confident of winning the war. I know I am treading on dangerous ground and I need your prayers to complete my mission to clean up the mess at the medical authority."
"I will not be afraid to act against the malpractices that have taken root in the two institutions. Kenyans need better services and the government will not allow individuals to benefit from public resources at the expense of Kenyans," Nakhumicha said.
The transition to SHIF is part of President Ruto's broader healthcare reform agenda, aimed at providing universal health coverage for all Kenyans.
According to the government, SHIF is designed to be more inclusive and comprehensive than NHIF, addressing the needs of a larger segment of the population.
Despite the legal challenges and resistance from entrenched interests, the government remains committed to the rollout of SHIF.
The new system is expected to streamline healthcare financing, eliminate corruption, and ensure that every Kenyan has access to quality healthcare services.
