More than 2.2 million Kenyans will now access medical services free of charge following the launch of the Social Health Authority (SHA) Sponsorship Programme by President William Ruto.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on Friday, September 19, President Ruto said the programme is part of the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plan to ensure all Kenyans, especially the vulnerable, can get affordable healthcare.
“We made an irrevocable commitment to deliver Universal Health Coverage for all Kenyans, regardless of their economic status. Today, we have taken another significant step in fulfilling that pledge,” the President said.
He added: “Through the new SHA Sponsorship Programme, more than 2.2 million vulnerable Kenyans will now access medical care free of charge.”
Under the new programme, beneficiaries will access a wide range of services, including inpatient, outpatient, maternity, child care, emergency, dental, optical, mental health, oncology, chronic illness management, screening, diagnostics, and even mortuary services.
The services will be provided according to the Kenya Essential Health Package (KEPH) hospital levels, from Level 2 to Level 6 facilities. Outpatient care will be available in lower-level hospitals, while inpatient and specialized services will be offered in higher-level facilities.
Currently, the minimum mandatory SHA contribution is Sh300 per month, translating to Sh3,600 annually. However, the government will fully cover the costs for the 2.2 million beneficiaries identified under the new sponsorship.
The announcement comes just weeks after President Ruto revealed that the government would cater for SHA registration for 1.5 million Kenyans, marking another step in expanding access to healthcare.
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