Health insurance fund replaced by the Social Health Authority in October 2024, succeeded in covering fewer than eight million Kenyans.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
… He defended the SHA against critics, saying it had registered 32.5 million Kenyans in less than two years compared with eight million registered under the National Hospital Insurance Fund over nearly six decades. …
Ruto: Narok Airport to be completed in two monthsCitizen Digital
… SHA replaced the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) in October 2024 and is intended to provide a broader foundation for universal health coverage. …
OPINION: What Kenya's SHA can learn from Australia’s MedicareCapital News
… The Deputy President also defended the government’s healthcare reforms, contrasting the former National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) with the Social Health Authority (SHA). …
‘You were fired like a fool,’ Kindiki takes fresh swipe at GachaguaCitizen Digital
… He noted that 32.3 million Kenyans have registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA), up from 8 million under the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). …
Ruto: Health reforms pay off as SHA enrolment hits 32.3 million, Ksh.178B paid to hospitalsCapital News
… Opening the two-day Kenya Health Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Ruto said 32.3 million Kenyans had registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA), compared with eight million under the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). …
Ruto gets glimpse of KEMSA’s digital transformation at Health SummitThe Standard
… He said the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), which was established in 1966, had been overtaken by changes in the economy and the evolving social needs of Kenyans.“When the reforms came, they found a ready legislative framework. …
Wetang'ula says health reforms have curbed corruption, reshaped care financingThe Standard
… The Speaker traced Kenya’s health financing reforms from the establishment of the National Hospital Insurance Fund in 1966 to the country’s current transition towards Universal Health Coverage.He said the reforms had been driven by persistent concerns from families struggling wit …
Wetang'ula pledges Parliament's backing for health reformsThe Standard
… said the technology infrastructure had been rolled out without requiring health facilities to purchase the devices, adding that the system had transformed the processing and accountability of SHA claims.He contrasted the new system with the former National Hospital Insurance Fund …
Ruto denies Sh104bn SHA technology contractCitizen Digital
… Similarly, a January 2022 commitment pledging free National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) coverage for all Kenyans before the end of that year has drawn widespread ridicule, especially as citizens currently navigate contentious healthcare transition reforms and rising out-of-poc …
From 1,000 dams to gas cylinder prices: Kenyans revive Ruto's old promises in viral X campaignThe Standard
… Unlike the former National Hospital Insurance Fund, which restricted patients to facilities they had selected in advance, the Primary Health Care Fund allows registered SHA members to access services in contracted Level Two, Three and Four facilities within their counties regardl …
Kenya joins Africa's push to bring sickle cell care under health insurancePresident William Ruto announced that construction of the Sh677 million Narok Airport will be completed within two months, with the facility designed to serve both domestic and international passengers and boost tourism to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
25 August 2026 · The Standard →
President William Ruto announced that construction of the Sh677 million Narok Airport will be completed within two months, with the facility designed to serve both domestic and international passengers and boost tourism to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
25 August 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that as Kenya institutionalizes the Social Health Authority to pursue universal health coverage, it should study Australia's Medicare model to ensure the system delivers access to necessary care without financial hardship. By June 2026, more than 31 million Kenyans had registered with SHA, which replaced the National Hospital Insurance Fund in October 2024.
24 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has criticized his predecessor Rigathi Gachagua and other opposition figures for relying on personal attacks and nicknames instead of presenting a development agenda ahead of the 2027 General Election. Speaking to UDA grassroots officials, Kindiki dismissed exchanges featuring nicknames "Kasongo" and "Soprano," calling them "children's play" and urging opponents to instead outline plans for improving roads, education, healthcare, and agriculture.
21 August 2026 · Capital News →
President William Ruto said government health sector reforms over three years have succeeded, with 32.3 million Kenyans now enrolled in the Social Health Authority (SHA) since its October 2024 launch—up from 8 million under the previous National Hospital Insurance Fund—and 178 billion shillings paid to hospitals while SHA has treated over eight million people.
18 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President William Ruto visited KEMSA's exhibition stand at the Kenya Health Summit in Nairobi to see how digital systems are improving efficiency and accountability in the health supply chain. KEMSA said its order fill rate has risen to 90 per cent from 40 per cent three years ago, and highlighted its Paperless KEMSA system and last-mile delivery model for health commodities to facilities.
18 August 2026 · Capital News →
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula said health reforms initiated by the Kenya Kwanza administration are addressing corruption and access to quality care, with Parliament passing four key health laws in 2023 including the Primary Health Care Act and the Facility Improvement Financing Act.
18 August 2026 · The Standard →
At the Kenya Health Summit 2026, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula pledged Parliament's full support for Government reforms aimed at transforming Kenya's health sector and advancing Universal Health Coverage, emphasising Parliament's critical role through legislation, resource allocation and oversight.
18 August 2026 · The Standard →
President Ruto has dismissed claims that the government signed a Sh104 billion contract with Safaricom and Apeiro Limited for Social Health Authority technology, saying instead that the government designed a digital system for transparency and pays investors for services rather than purchasing technology outright.
18 August 2026 · The Standard →
Kenyan social media users have launched a campaign on X documenting President William Ruto's unfulfilled public promises spanning years of campaign trails, church services, and official addresses, from infrastructure projects to socio-economic reforms and political appointments.
4 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
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 →
The National Parents Association has raised concerns over the absence of medical insurance for learners following the discontinuation of the EduAfya programme four years ago, warning that students have been left vulnerable to illness and increased absenteeism. The association's chairman called on the government and stakeholders to urgently expand healthcare access for learners, including HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention campaigns.
22 July 2026 · The Standard →
A Kericho family is seeking government intervention after their mother's outstanding hospital bill of Sh514,600 at South Rift Hospital remains unresolved for over a year, putting them at risk of losing a vehicle. They blame the dispute on the transition from the National Hospital Insurance Fund to the Social Health Authority.
14 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Commission on Administrative Justice has ordered the Social Health Authority to disclose disaggregated payment records made to hospitals under the defunct NHIF between 2018 and 2024, and SHA/SHIF payments from 2025 onwards, citing constitutional right to information. The agency has 21 days to comply or face criminal prosecution recommendations.
10 July 2026 · Capital News →
Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has directed the Social Health Authority to release Sh4 billion allocated to settle verified legacy debts owed to small healthcare facilities by the defunct NHIF within two weeks, after the SHA CEO said disbursements would begin in July.
30 June 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi told the Senate that the economy expanded 4.6 per cent in 2025, slightly down from 4.7 per cent in 2024, and that public and publicly guaranteed debt stood at approximately Sh12.842 trillion (69.49 per cent of GDP) as of February 26, 2026, attributing the economic slowdown to external shocks including Middle East conflict and drought risks.
17 June 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's Controller of Budget reports the national government spent far beyond Parliament's approval in key central offices during the nine months to March 2026, while accumulating Ksh.465.87 billion in unpaid bills despite discretionary spending on items including AFCON football subscriptions and hospitality at the Deputy President's office.
11 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya's insurance penetration declined to 2.2 per cent of GDP in the first half of 2025 from 2.4 per cent in 2024, well below the global average of 7.4 per cent. Insurers are expanding into underserved segments such as elderly people and children, though uptake remains limited.
13 May 2026 · The Standard →
The government has added fertility treatment, including In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), to the public teacher medical scheme under the Social Health Authority, which now covers 30.8 million Kenyans. The Social Health Authority expanded health coverage beyond the defunct NHIF, which covered fewer than eight million people, and also removed co-payments for teachers and expanded benefits to include specialised treatment abroad.
4 May 2026 · The Standard →
President William Ruto said Kenya is changing for the better and pointed to economic growth during his three years in office as proof the country is headed in the right direction. He highlighted progress in universal health coverage, agriculture, education and housing, and vowed that Kenya will become a first-world economy within his lifetime.
30 April 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President William Ruto reaffirmed his administration's commitment to addressing Kenya's challenges through reforms in education, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure, saying the government is focused on delivering solutions rather than shifting blame. He cited specific measures including hiring teachers and reforming university funding in education, and tackling fertiliser costs and cartels through subsidies in agriculture.
27 April 2026 · Capital News →