Also known as: NHIF
Defunct government health insurance fund replaced by the Social Health Authority as part of Kenya's Universal Health Coverage programme.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Citizen Digital
… The President noted that reforms under the Social Health Authority (SHA) had increased the number of registered members to 31 million, up from seven million under the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). …
Ruto announces seed subsidy plan, Bungoma Level Six hospitalCapital News
… The participants opposed plans to transform the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) into the Kenya Statistics Authority, arguing that the restructuring could mirror the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA), which th …
Stakeholders Oppose Plan to Transform KNBS Into AuthorityThe Standard
… Lishenga was speaking during an interview on KTN which was looking at the health sector and its challenges.“As at our last checking in August last year before they shut down transparency we were at Sh44 billion on SHA and Sh33 billion on NHIF, and remember SHA did not stop accumu …
SHA owes health facilities more than Sh77 billion, official saysThe Standard
… According to the CS, other underfunded priority areas which require more funding include the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) legacy debt to facilities, amounting to Sh29 billion, of which Sh10 billion is urgently required in Financial Year 2026/27.The department also cited …
Concerns over CHP kitsCapital News
… The remarks are likely to intensify the ongoing debate surrounding SHA, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) as part of the government’s broader universal healthcare reforms. …
Former LSK boss Faith Odhiambo slams SHA system as unfair to low-income earnersCitizen Digital
… In a statement to newsrooms Wednesday evening, SHA welcomed public debate but maintained that replacing the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) was necessary to address long-standing structural weaknesses and inequities in the system. …
SHA defends means-testing tool amid scrutiny over healthcare premiumsCapital News
… He said close to 30.7 million Kenyans have registered under SHA, nearly four times more than the 8 million just two years ago under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). …
Ruto Urges Africa to Become Producer of Medical Supplies, Not ConsumerCitizen Digital
… He said close to 30.7 million Kenyans have registered under SHA, nearly four times more than the 8 million just two years ago under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). …
Ruto calls for domestic financing and local production to strengthen Africa’s health systemsThe Standard
… However, financial barriers remain a major challenge. “Since the shift from NHIF to SHA, outpatient services are no longer fully covered. …
Ukwala families battle sickle cell stigma despite improved access to healthcarePresident William Ruto said the Sh350 billion National Infrastructure Fund will finance major development projects in water, roads, energy and other strategic infrastructure across the country, including dams for irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions to strengthen food security and agricultural exports.
12 July 2026 · Capital News →
President William Ruto said the Sh350 billion National Infrastructure Fund will finance major development projects in water, roads, energy and other strategic infrastructure across the country, including dams for irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions to strengthen food security and agricultural exports.
12 July 2026 · Capital News →
SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority data shows regulated saccos disbursed Sh2.79 billion in medical loans in Q1 2026, a 31 per cent increase from Sh2.13 billion in Q1 2025. This opinion piece argues the surge reflects weakened community safety nets and signals a troubling shift in the cooperative movement's role away from building economic resilience toward managing immediate healthcare crises.
6 July 2026 · The Standard →
Dr Brian Lishenga has stepped down as chairman of the Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya, citing an increasingly hostile working relationship with the Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority. Lishenga said the relationship has deteriorated to a point where meaningful engagement on issues affecting private healthcare providers and SHA payments is no longer possible.
2 July 2026 · The Standard →
More than 800 former employees of the defunct National Health Insurance Fund remain unplaced in respective institutions and unenrolled in the payroll, with their fate still uncertain.
1 July 2026 · The Standard →
Public Health PS Mary Muthoni has urged Kenyans to register for the Social Health Authority, saying it offers inclusive benefits regardless of employment status, unlike the defunct NHIF. She blamed local politics and misinformation for low uptake, noting that only 39 per cent of Kitui County residents have enrolled.
28 June 2026 · The Standard →
M.P. Shah Hospital has been temporarily suspended from offering services under government-funded health insurance schemes following billing complaints, effective June 23, 2026. The hospital said it will cooperate with the Social Health Authority's investigation.
24 June 2026 · The Standard →
Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni defended the Social Health Authority's healthcare model as expanding access compared to the defunct NHIF, saying 20 percent benefited under NHIF versus immediate eligibility under SHA. She urged leaders to stop politicizing health matters and praised Community Health Promoters for supporting SHA rollout through registration and preventive services.
14 June 2026 · The Standard →
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced that more than 31.2 million Kenyans have registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), replacing the defunct NHIF as part of the government's Universal Health Coverage programme. The transition marks a significant increase from the approximately eight million previously covered under NHIF, supported by 228 Primary Care Networks, 107,831 Community Health Promoters, and 16,810 deployed medical interns.
11 June 2026 · Capital News →
The Social Health Authority has appointed Winfred Nduku Nthiani as Assistant Director for Corporate Communication following a competitive recruitment process that attracted 100 applicants and narrowed to seven shortlisted candidates interviewed on Wednesday.
4 June 2026 · Capital News →
Kadu Asili has criticized President Ruto's Coast region development plan, claiming the administration is relying on projects initiated under President Kenyatta's regime and has not launched any landmark projects of its own. The party also contested the Ruto government's recruitment at Kenya Ports Authority, stating that over 80 per cent of about 290 positions went to the Rift Valley region.
30 May 2026 · The Standard →
President Ruto announced that the government will begin subsidising seeds from the next financial year to boost agricultural production and food security, complementing the existing fertiliser subsidy programme. He also announced plans to establish a Level Six hospital in Bungoma County to provide specialised healthcare services and reduce pressure on Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
16 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Stakeholders participating in public hearings on the proposed Statistics Bill 2026 in Nakuru have raised concerns that transforming the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics into the Kenya Statistics Authority could expose the statistical system to political interference and job losses. They also opposed allowing county governments to recruit County Statisticians through County Public Service Boards, arguing it could give governors undue influence over statistical processes.
14 May 2026 · Capital News →
The Social Health Authority owes health facilities some Sh77 billion as of last year and continues to accumulate debt, according to Brian Lishenga, Chairman of the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association. The official attributed the challenges to insufficient resource pooling into SHA to settle medical claims, while union leaders condemned the government for promoting SHA registration without addressing system failures affecting healthcare delivery.
13 May 2026 · The Standard →
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has told Parliament that approximately 102,000 Community Health Promoters are carrying expired kits that should be replaced every two years, and the Ministry of Health is urgently seeking Sh2.3 billion to replace them.
13 May 2026 · The Standard →
Former Law Society of Kenya Chair Faith Odhiambo has criticized the Social Health Authority (SHA) system, alleging that its AI-driven algorithm overcharges poor Kenyans while undercharging the wealthy, citing the example of a single mother earning KSh3,500 monthly being required to contribute KSh1,030 for health coverage.
9 May 2026 · Capital News →
The Social Health Authority has defended its means-testing instrument as equitable and protective of low-income households, following an Africa Uncensored documentary that alleged the system is flawed and leaves low-income earners disadvantaged.
6 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President Ruto has called on African countries to work together to ensure self-sufficiency in medical supplies and health commodities, emphasising the need for policy leadership, technology, and domestic resource mobilisation to strengthen the continent's health systems and reduce reliance on global supply chains.
28 April 2026 · Capital News →
President William Ruto called on African countries to ensure self-sufficiency in medical supplies and health commodities, emphasizing that Africa's health systems must be financed by both domestic and international capital and that the continent must become an active architect rather than passive participant in global health. He highlighted the need for a radical shift focusing on policy leadership, technology, and mobilisation of domestic resources.
27 April 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Sickle cell patients in Ukwala, Siaya County face social stigma and isolation at school despite better access to treatment at Matibabu Foundation Hospital. An 18-year-old patient and her mother describe years of misdiagnosis, pain crises, and peer rejection, though improved care has helped the teenager feel better.
27 April 2026 · The Standard →