The Chief Executive Officer of the Social Health Authority (SHA), Dr. Mercy Mwangangi, has spoken out after reports emerged that several Kenyans have fallen victim to con artists posing as SHA officials.
The fraudsters are said to have been asking unsuspecting members of the public to pay for registration or for help in speeding up SHA services something the authority has now firmly dismissed as fake.
In a statement issued on Friday, November 7, Dr. Mwangangi urged victims of such scams to report the incidents to their nearest police stations and to the Authority directly through its official channels.
“SHA registration is completely free. Our staff will never ask for money or request your mobile money PIN,” she emphasized. “If you or someone you know has been approached by such individuals, report immediately to the police or through our toll-free number 147.”
Dr. Mwangangi, who has been at the helm of SHA for seven months, encouraged Kenyans to use official self-registration platforms as a safeguard against fraudsters. She advised the public to register through the USSD code *147# or via the Authority’s official websites afyayangu.go.ke and sha.go.ke.
For those seeking assistance, the CEO noted that help should only be sought at authorised Huduma Centres or from verified community health promoters.
“Never share your PIN or hand over your phone to anyone claiming to assist with registration,” she cautioned. “SHA payments are made only through our official business number 200222.”
Dr. Mwangangi also reminded the public that SHA outreach or registration drives are only announced through official SHA channels, local authorities, and recognised media outlets.
Her statement comes a week after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested four suspects accused of defrauding a SHA user of KSh 251,000.
According to police reports, the victim was lured into handing over his mobile phone to the fraudsters, who claimed they were completing his registration. Moments later, his phone went off and soon after, he discovered that his Sacco account had been emptied.
A swift operation by Marimanti law enforcement officers led to the arrest of the four suspects, who are now expected to face charges in court.
Dr. Mwangangi’s message was clear SHA services are free, and Kenyans should remain vigilant against anyone demanding payment under the guise of helping with registration.
