Also known as: NHIF
Defunct healthcare insurer replaced by the Social Health Authority as part of Kenya's Universal Health Coverage programme.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The 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 healthcareA 2026 Health Summit brought together policymakers, health workers, and stakeholders to assess Kenya's progress toward Universal Health Coverage, with President Ruto presenting a scorecard of his 2022 health manifesto commitments, including the Social Health Authority (SHA) which has enrolled 32.2 million Kenyans to replace the NHIF.
22 August 2026 · The Standard →
A 2026 Health Summit brought together policymakers, health workers, and stakeholders to assess Kenya's progress toward Universal Health Coverage, with President Ruto presenting a scorecard of his 2022 health manifesto commitments, including the Social Health Authority (SHA) which has enrolled 32.2 million Kenyans to replace the NHIF.
22 August 2026 · The Standard →
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the ruling United Democratic Alliance has grown in strength since forming government in 2022 and claimed UDA is the only party in Kenya with strong presence at polling station level nationwide, urging opponents to step up their efforts.
21 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President William Ruto has accused the defunct National Health Insurance Fund system of enabling theft from sick Kenyans through claims for procedures that never happened, fictitious patients and inflated bills. He called digital health systems essential to closing loopholes and described Universal Health Coverage as one of the government's most consequential social transformation efforts.
18 August 2026 · The Standard →
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has warned that frequent changes to government policies could undermine Kenya's development, urging the country to shield long-term programmes from political interference and focus on building a sustainable national agenda. He cited economic stabilisation under President William Ruto's administration, including inflation below six per cent, $3.2 billion in foreign direct investment last year, and a reduction in the Central Bank lending rate to commercial banks from 13.5 per cent to 8.75 per cent.
12 August 2026 · Capital News →
The Social Health Authority has enrolled 32.2 million Kenyans, described by officials as a record for health insurance uptake, but an insider reports only about 5 million members are actually remitting premiums to the scheme.
11 August 2026 · The Standard →
African countries including Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania and Ghana are working to integrate sickle cell disease services into their Universal Health Coverage programmes, with experts emphasizing that sustainable financing, early diagnosis and access to medicines are critical to improving patient outcomes. Health experts said embedding sickle cell care into national health systems and social health insurance schemes rather than relying on donor-funded programmes offers the best opportunity to ensure continuous care.
3 August 2026 · The Standard →
President William Ruto announced that the Government will begin paying medical insurance for all 107,000 Community Health Promoters under the Social Health Authority this month. The National Government will provide 390 million shillings, with counties expected to contribute a similar amount.
25 July 2026 · Capital News →
President Ruto and Nairobi Governor Sakaja on Saturday launched Social Health Authority medical cover for 7,820 Community Health Promoters in Nairobi, making them the first group of community health workers in the country to receive comprehensive SHA coverage, and presented a cheque to facilitate their registration and premium payments.
25 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President William Ruto has defended the Social Health Authority (SHA), stating it is performing "ten times more" than the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), citing increased monthly disbursements to health facilities and expanded membership registration. Ruto dismissed proposals to restore NHIF, arguing SHA has advanced the Universal Health Coverage programme despite ongoing criticism over system failures and delayed reimbursements.
25 July 2026 · Capital News →
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has urged President William Ruto to reconsider the Social Health Authority (SHA) programme and restore the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), arguing the President should apply the same reasoning behind his recent reversal of the university funding model.
23 July 2026 · Capital News →
President Ruto stated that the Linda Mama maternal healthcare programme has been expanded and renamed Linda Jamii to provide broader healthcare services for expectant mothers, newborns, and families, covering pregnancy through postnatal care with increased government funding under the Social Health Authority.
23 July 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya has achieved high financial inclusion, with 84.8 per cent of adults accessing formal financial services by 2024, but financial literacy has not kept pace; only 44.1 per cent of adults use more than one formal financial product, and young Kenyans are gaining access to financial tools faster than the knowledge needed to use them well.
20 July 2026 · The Standard →
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 →