Kenyans without Social Health Authority (SHA) registration will soon find themselves locked out of government healthcare services under a new directive by the government.
The government’s latest directive makes it clear that anyone seeking medical help in public facilities must first sign up for the SHA. This new health system, which will replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), is set to roll out on October 1.
Elijah Wachira, CEO of the Social Health Authority, was firm in his stance. He made it clear that walking into a hospital without being registered will no longer be tolerated. Those without SHA membership will be required to register on the spot before receiving treatment.
Why it matters: The mandatory nature of the registration is now law, leaving Kenyans with little choice but to comply.
Dig deeper: Addressing a Citizen TV town hall, Wachira reiterated the government’s push for mass registration. He acknowledged that disease strikes without warning, and unregistered individuals could find themselves in critical situations without access to care.
“If you walk into a hospital and you have not registered, you will be required to register first,” he asserted. To ease the process, the government is working with hospitals to facilitate registration, even at the time of seeking treatment.
The move to introduce SHA comes with a broader goal: enrolling 12 million households into the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme during the first phase. This would bring approximately 38 million Kenyans into the SHA, ensuring nationwide health coverage. However, this shift also signals stricter enforcement of registration rules for citizens seeking public health services.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki confirmed the government’s commitment to this effort. He announced that National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs) will play a key role in ensuring registration compliance. The same network of officers that successfully registered six million farmers for subsidised fertiliser will now be deployed to register Kenyans for SHA.
“The NGAOs have the capacity to deliver on this mandate,” Kindiki stressed, pointing to their wide-reaching presence across eight regions and 47 counties. Their influence at the grassroots level is crucial to ensuring mass registration across the country, down to over 9,000 sub-locations. It is a strategic move aimed at maximising efficiency and minimising costs in rolling out the UHC programme.
Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa also praised the efforts of the NGAOs. Speaking at a collaborative meeting at the Kenya School of Government, Barasa highlighted the importance of sensitising communities. The officers' deep ties within local communities will be key in spreading awareness and getting people to register en masse.
Service providers: The SHA has already begun to recruit healthcare providers and facilities for the programme. Through a legal notice published in the Daily Nation, the SHA called for tenders from licensed healthcare providers and facilities.
The selected providers will offer a range of services, from outpatient care to mental health services, surgical procedures, and even overseas treatment.
The new system’s benefit package is extensive. It includes critical services such as dialysis, maternal care, oncology, and even last office services.
The Ministry of Health has assured that specialised diagnostic services, mental health care, and emergency treatment are also part of the SHA offering, positioning it as a comprehensive safety net for Kenyans.
Skepticism: Despite the government's insistence on the move, some Kenyans remain sceptical about the system's implementation.
With October 1 fast approaching, many are left wondering if the infrastructure will be ready to handle millions of registrations efficiently. Moreover, the mandatory nature of the SHA is expected to spark debates about the rights of citizens to access healthcare without being forced into a system.
For the government, however, the push for registration is non-negotiable. As Dr. Barasa remarked, the priority right now is to get as many Kenyans registered as possible. While the SHA’s success remains to be seen, the government has left no room for ambiguity—starting next month, health services will only be accessible to those on the SHA database.
