Kenya's President William Ruto says that the new health insurance scheme dubbed Taifa Care under the Social Health Authority (SHA) is better than the disbanded National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Scheme.
Speaking on Sunday during an interdenominational church service in Kapng’etik in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Ruto stressed the government’s commitment to ensuring seamless health service provision to each Kenyan, Affordably.
Ruto, called upon Kenyans to register as he urged the citizenry to ignore "Propaganda" being peddled against the scheme, stating that SHA will be Ten times better that NHIF.
"Keep registering for the Taifa Care programme, do not listen to those spreading Propaganda, there are governors and others spreading propaganda- saying SHA is not working. Those who know what they are doing have already registered, the rest will eventually wake up" said Ruto.
The President, stated his roll-out of the scheme was a strategic move by his administration that by accurately costing healthcare services, aims to eliminate debt accumulation, a challenge that plagued the NHIF. He noted Hospitals are now reimbursed promptly, addressing past inefficiencies in claim disbursements.
Ruto reiterated that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is his goal aimed at ensuring all individuals and communities have access to quality health services without suffering financial hardship.
Ruto, stated that UHC is a key pillar of the government’s healthcare agenda, with programs like SHIF and SHA driving its implementation.
The Social Health Authority (SHA) is a body under Kenya’s healthcare department that is mandated to manage and oversee the implementation of universal healthcare (UHC) programs.
It replaced the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) on October 1, 2024, and is designed to ensure equitable access to healthcare services for all Kenyans.
SHA’s key mandate is to expand healthcare coverage by funding both preventive and curative services, addressing long-standing gaps in Kenya’s healthcare system.
The agency operates under the Social Health Authority Act (SHA Act), which outlines its governance structure and financial mechanisms.
Meanwhile, the government has responded to growing public concerns by improving the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) benefits.
The State, has taken several measures, including raising cancer treatment coverage from Ksh400,000 to Ksh550,000 and ICU services from Ksh4,480 to Ksh28,000, while also allowing access to primary health care and emergency services for all Kenyans.
The move, comes as SHIF membership hits 21 million—up from 8 million under NHIF—with Ksh81.7 billion allocated for SHIF premiums in the 2025/26 budget, alongside funds for maternal care, elderly persons with disabilities, and a digital health rollout.
Despite the progress, challenges like delayed stipends, missing equipment, and low county engagement remain.
