Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has ordered immediate changes to the Social Health Authority (SHA) after teachers raised complaints about problems with the new medical cover system, and their union threatened a nationwide strike.
The directive was issued on Tuesday, March 10, during a meeting with officials from the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) at Afya House in Nairobi. The meeting reviewed how teachers are transitioning to the new SHA scheme.
The Ministry of Health confirmed that 413,577 teachers have already been moved to the SHA medical scheme, replacing the previous teachers’ medical cover.
To improve service delivery, CS Duale announced the appointment of 425 senior officers across all 47 counties to support teachers and address challenges. Of these, 367 officers have already been deployed to counties to provide hands-on assistance at health facilities.
Duale also said a 24-hour focal officer has been assigned to handle urgent issues under the Mwalimu Medical Cover. In addition, 47 County Joint Committees have been set up to oversee implementation of the scheme at county level. The committees, chaired by TSC County Directors and including SHA managers and union representatives, will meet quarterly to resolve problems and improve coordination.
A 24-hour toll-free hotline (0800 720 601) and short code (147) have also been activated to help teachers facing emergencies or administrative challenges. SHA, TSC, and KUPPET will run a nationwide education campaign to guide teachers on how to access their benefits and navigate the patient portal.
The reforms come after mounting complaints from teachers that hospitals were rejecting the new cover, leaving some stranded or forced to pay bills out of pocket during emergencies. Teachers also reported reduced benefit limits for inpatient care and maternity services under the new scheme.
Union leaders warned that frequent system breakdowns, delayed pre-authorisations, and hospitals refusing the cover had disrupted access to treatment across several counties. These frustrations led KUPPET to issue a seven-day strike notice on March 5, threatening nationwide industrial action if the problems were not addressed.
CS Duale warned that any hospital denying treatment due to system downtime would be violating Kenyans’ constitutional right to healthcare and could face suspension or termination of their contracts.
“Cabinet Secretary for Health Hon. Aden Duale has warned health facilities against denying patients treatment under the pretext of system downtime, stating that such actions are unacceptable and violate Kenyans’ constitutional right to healthcare,” the ministry said.
With these measures, the Ministry of Health hopes to stabilise the rollout of the SHA scheme and ensure teachers receive timely medical care without interruptions.
