More than 2.2 million Kenyans are set to access medical services free of charge after President William Ruto launched the Social Health Authority (SHA) Sponsorship Programme.
The Head of State made the announcement on Friday, September 19, in State House, Nairobi, with the programme aimed at ensuring vulnerable Kenyans have access to affordable healthcare.
As per Ruto, the move was under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda, adding that the government would continue to identify more vulnerable Kenyans to receive affordable healthcare.
“We made an irrevocable commitment to deliver Universal Health Coverage for all Kenyans, regardless of their economic status. Today, we have taken another significant step in fulfilling that pledge,” Ruto noted.
“Through the new SHA Sponsorship Programme, more than 2.2 million vulnerable Kenyans will now access medical care free of charge,” he added.
SHA Benefits the Over 2.2 Million Kenyans Will Enjoy
In the new programme, the millions of Kenyans will now have access to inpatient, outpatient, maternity and child care, emergency, optical, dental, and mental health services for free. Other services include oncology, critical and chronic illness, screening and diagnostics, and mortuary services.
However, the services would depend on the Kenya Essential Health Package of Health (KEPH) hospital level. Hospitals covered include Level 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. For instance, outpatient services are available from Level 1, 2, and 3, with inpatient services beginning from Level 4, 5 and 6.
In Kenya, the current minimum mandatory SHA deduction is Ksh300 per month. This is to be paid in the form of a one-off annual payment, translating to Ksh3,600.
The latest comes after Ruto had on Tuesday, September 2, announced that the government would pay for SHA registration for 1.5 million Kenyans.
In a brief statement released by the Head of Special Projects and Creative Economy at the Executive Office of the President, Dennis Itumbi, the government had already identified the select group of Kenyans set to benefit from the government’s directive.
As per Ruto, the move was made possible through what he described as the ‘equitable’ collection of the mandatory 2.75 per cent SHA contributions from Kenyans. This had enabled the government to set aside enough funds to cater for those who could not afford it.
Ruto’s directive had come after he directed all Level 1 to Level 4 hospitals across the country to offer free healthcare to Kenyans who have already registered with SHA.
