The government will from next week start paying Social Health Authority (SHA) contributions for 1.5 million Kenyans who cannot afford to do so, President William Ruto has announced.
The President said plans are also underway to work with governors and Members of Parliament to extend the same support to nearly another one million people.
“SHA contributions are fair at 2.75 percent of income. This makes it possible for us to step in and pay for those who have no ability to contribute,” he explained.
He noted that unlike the old NHIF system, which largely catered for people in formal jobs, SHA is designed to cover all Kenyans.
“Healthcare is not a privilege for a few—it is a right for all Kenyans,” Ruto said when he met grassroots leaders from Turkana County at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday.
The Head of State urged local leaders to fast-track SHA registration in their communities to guarantee affordable and quality healthcare for every household.
Under SHA, payments are directed to specific hospitals rather than county administrations, which Ruto said would improve accountability and service delivery.
To ease pressure on families, the President also cautioned public facilities against charging patients for outpatient services, saying the government has already set aside Ksh.21 billion to cover such costs through SHA.