NAIROBI, Kenya – In response to growing public outcry, Social Health Authority (SHA) CEO Elijah Wachira has clarified the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the newly introduced Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
This comes after widespread concerns emerged online, with citizens fearing disruptions in critical healthcare services ahead of the September 30 registration deadline.
Prominent entertainer DJ Krowbar sparked further debate when he shared a video revealing that his wife’s dialysis center informed her she would need to pay in cash for future sessions starting October 1, 2024.
“Thousands of Kenyans with chronic kidney failure rely on NHIF to cover the cost of dialysis. Each session costs Ksh.9,500, and with some patients needing up to three sessions a week, this transition could be devastating without proper intervention,” DJ Krowbar said.
Wachira sought to reassure the public, directing all contracted hospitals to continue providing dialysis and cancer treatments under the SHIF scheme.
Additionally, he mandated that maternity services at Level 2 and 3 facilities—such as dispensaries, clinics, health centers, and maternity homes—should proceed without interruption. Managed schemes will also remain active to avoid service gaps.
However, the rollout of SHIF has been met with resistance, as many Kenyans express concern over the increased monthly contributions and a lack of clear guidance on accessing healthcare services under the new system.
The government has faced mounting pressure to explain how patients will navigate the transition and how households in the informal sector will be impacted.
Despite these concerns, Parliament’s Health Committee cleared the SHIF scheme on Monday, asserting that issues related to the health sector’s digitization project had been addressed.
The committee issued this approval following an update from Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, delivered just hours before SHIF’s scheduled implementation.
Barasa’s explanation, however, left several questions unanswered, especially regarding the contribution bands for informal sector households.
“We will release the report on contribution bands soon, but I can assure you that the accuracy of our means testing instrument is at 95%,” CS Barasa stated, though she failed to provide a clear breakdown of the contribution tiers.
The means testing instrument, which will determine how informal sector households contribute 2.75% of their annual income, has been met with skepticism.
Lawmakers raised concerns about the sample size and methodology, as the pilot program covered only 2,000 individuals across eight counties.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Health has assured the public that employees from the defunct NHIF are being integrated into the SHA system, and medical supplies are being distributed to counties in preparation for the SHA’s October 1 rollout.
This comes after widespread concerns emerged online, with citizens fearing disruptions in critical healthcare services ahead of the September 30 registration deadline.
Prominent entertainer DJ Krowbar sparked further debate when he shared a video revealing that his wife’s dialysis center informed her she would need to pay in cash for future sessions starting October 1, 2024.
“Thousands of Kenyans with chronic kidney failure rely on NHIF to cover the cost of dialysis. Each session costs Ksh.9,500, and with some patients needing up to three sessions a week, this transition could be devastating without proper intervention,” DJ Krowbar said.
Wachira sought to reassure the public, directing all contracted hospitals to continue providing dialysis and cancer treatments under the SHIF scheme.
Additionally, he mandated that maternity services at Level 2 and 3 facilities—such as dispensaries, clinics, health centers, and maternity homes—should proceed without interruption. Managed schemes will also remain active to avoid service gaps.
However, the rollout of SHIF has been met with resistance, as many Kenyans express concern over the increased monthly contributions and a lack of clear guidance on accessing healthcare services under the new system.
The government has faced mounting pressure to explain how patients will navigate the transition and how households in the informal sector will be impacted.
Despite these concerns, Parliament’s Health Committee cleared the SHIF scheme on Monday, asserting that issues related to the health sector’s digitization project had been addressed.
The committee issued this approval following an update from Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, delivered just hours before SHIF’s scheduled implementation.
Barasa’s explanation, however, left several questions unanswered, especially regarding the contribution bands for informal sector households.
“We will release the report on contribution bands soon, but I can assure you that the accuracy of our means testing instrument is at 95%,” CS Barasa stated, though she failed to provide a clear breakdown of the contribution tiers.
The means testing instrument, which will determine how informal sector households contribute 2.75% of their annual income, has been met with skepticism.
Lawmakers raised concerns about the sample size and methodology, as the pilot program covered only 2,000 individuals across eight counties.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Health has assured the public that employees from the defunct NHIF are being integrated into the SHA system, and medical supplies are being distributed to counties in preparation for the SHA’s October 1 rollout.
