The government has released Sh4 billion to the Social Health Authority (SHA) to cater for public servants’ medical cover.
Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku said the move demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving the welfare of public servants.
He made the announcement as some leaders rallied support for SHA, urging Kenyans to register in large numbers.
SHA CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi confirmed receipt of the funds on Friday.
CS Ruku noted that the allocation will ensure public servants are fully covered under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), emphasizing the government’s resolve to protect workers from high out-of-pocket health expenses.
Speaking at ACK St. Peter’s Cathedral Siakago in Mbeere North, Embu County, during the annual ACK Women’s Union service, Ruku described SHA as a transformative step toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
He observed that approximately 30,000 Kenyans are registering daily, signaling growing public confidence in the new health system.
“Public servants are already What remains is for us to diligently serve wananchi and support the rollout of SHA so that every Kenyan can access affordable and quality healthcare,” Ruku emphasized.
The service brought together hundreds of congregants, government officials, and local leaders. A key highlight was the official induction of 987 women into the Mothers’ Union, led by the ACK Dean Bishop Moses Masamba, who is also the Bishop of the Diocese of Mbeere.
The women also contributed towards the Green Blue Apartment Siakago project, a housing initiative spearheaded by the Diocese’s Women’s Department.
President William Ruto, who was the official guest, was represented by Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development, Alice Wahome, who hailed SHA as a “game-changer” in Kenya’s healthcare sector, calling on churches and communities to spearhead sensitization efforts.
“SHA is the game-changer for a healthy community,” Wahome said. “We must educate, we must mobilize, and above all, we must register.”
She also provided updates on the Affordable Housing Programme, revealing that 170,000 units are nearing completion, and that 670,000 Kenyans have already applied.
Wahome further appealed to the people of Mbeere to support the government, especially in the upcoming Mbeere North by-election, as a show of confidence and reciprocation following elevation of immediate former Mbeere North MP, Geoffrey Ruku now serving as a Cabinet Secretary.
Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire highlighted major strides in the county’s health sector, disclosing that KSh 213 million has been disbursed to Embu Level 5 Hospital since July. She confirmed that maternity services are now fully free and that Embu ranks fifth nationally in SHA registration, with 302,000 individuals signed up, representing 55% of the county’s population.
“Health is personal. You are the only one who will suffer if you do not register,” said Mbarire, urging both men and women to embrace regular checkups, including cancer screening. To ease payment, she encouraged Kenyans to utilize the SHA option of paying four months upfront, with the balance spread over the remaining eight months.
Mwangangi provided a detailed breakdown of SHA’s structure and benefits.
She assured Kenyans that the government is closing loopholes that could lead to fund mismanagement, strengthening transparency and building a healthcare system that leaves no one behind.
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