The government has clarified why it is essential for residents in Turkana County to register with the Social Health Insurance (SHA) as they receive food aid from the government.
In a statement on his official X account on Thursday, March 27, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said that it is fundamental for the residents of the county to be enrolled in Taifa Care because those facing hunger and starvation are highly susceptible to malnutrition.
Mwaura emphasised that malnutrition increases their vulnerability to illness, which puts them at risk of visiting hospitals. He noted that visiting hospitals without health insurance would limit their access to proper healthcare.
According to Mwaura, only 110,000 out of 1.2 million residents of Turkana County have registered for SHA.
"It is crucial for Turkana residents to be registered for Taifa Care as they receive government relief food because those facing hunger and starvation are more likely to suffer from malnutrition," he stated.
"This increases their vulnerability to illness, which could lead to hospital visits without health insurance. The government is committed to ensuring that all Kenyans benefit from Universal Health Coverage, a key pillar of THE BETA PLAN," he added.
Mwaura's statement comes two days after Turkana Central’s Deputy County Commissioner Thomas Siele warned that residents who have not registered for the Social Health Authority (SHA) will be excluded from receiving relief food.
Siele gave the residents until Wednesday, March 26, to complete their registration with the health insurance so that they could access relief food.
While informing residents that the region had received 600 bags of food aid, Siele emphasised that only individuals registered with SHA would receive the aid.
"The other day, I secured around 600 bags of relief food. However, before anyone benefits, there is a mandatory condition—one must be registered for SHA before the chief can issue the food," Siele stated.
"We want to ensure that everyone is under SHA. We don't want to feed people, then shortly hear they have fallen ill and cannot cater for the treatment, yet there is SHA. So let us all register for SHA if you want to receive the food," he added.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in a report on March 1, 2025, Turkana County is among 9 counties in the country that need urgent humanitarian assistance due to the impact of the 2024 short rain season.
NDMA an estimated 2.8 million people are at risk of facing acute food insecurity between April and June 2026 due to the expected below-normal March-May rainfall.
