President William Ruto on Friday, May 9, assured employees of the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) who missed out in the Social Health Authority (SHA) intake that the government would consider them.
Ruto, who spoke during the handing over of disease surveillance vehicles at State House in Nairobi, said the former NHIF employees who missed absorption into SHA would be reassigned to various roles within the public service.
The Head of State, while addressing the press alongside governors and senior officials within the Ministry of Health, noted that no government worker would lose their job.
According to him, the government was focused on securing qualified professionals for the SHA jobs, adding that priority would be given to former NHIF employees.
"While recognising the need for skilled personnel to manage health insurance effectively, I am informed that the equipment process within SHA is nearly complete, with a strong focus on securing qualified professionals," Ruto commented.
"As promised, staff from NHIF have been given priority in the process; those not selected for positions within SHA will be reassigned to other roles within the public service. My assurance to all Kenyans is that no one will lose their jobs," he added.
Ruto assured Kenyans while presiding over the official handover of disease surveillance vehicles to all 47 county governments.
During the event, the President noted that the vehicles were not only meant to enhance logistical capacity but also symbolised the government's commitment to strengthening public health systems.
Ruto further acknowledged the progress made in the registration of SHA, stating that over 22 million Kenyans had so far enrolled in the new health insurance scheme, with an average of 45,000 new registrations daily.
According to the President, the high enrollment was a clear indication that Kenyans were embracing the government's universal healthcare delivery model.
"We have allocated sufficient resources to fully fund primary healthcare, ensuring all registered Kenyans can access primary healthcare services free, fully paid for by the SHA," he said.
In his speech, Ruto also revealed that the government had embarked on a nationwide initiative to improve the availability of essential medicines in health facilities to ensure Kenyans have access to essential medication.
