As of October 1, 2024, Kenya has launched its new Social Health Authority. This program is replacing the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and has the goal of decreasing the cost of care, improving accessibility, and boosting the quality of care throughout the country. However, the rollout has not been without challenges. What should you know about the new Social Health Authority in Kenya?
Why Was the Social Health Authority Created?
The Social Health Authority (SHA) was founded by the Kenyan government as an alternative to the NHIF. The goal of the SHA is to provide more Kenyans with the accessible and affordable care that they need. At the time of launch, the government allocated funding to cover only 4% of the total estimated costs. However, the program will continue to improve as more funding is secured. The government believes that 80% of Kenyans can benefit from this initiative compared to the NHIF.
How Many People Have Enrolled Now?
As of November 5, 2024, approximately 13 million Kenyans have been enrolled in the Social Health Authority. Of the total number of people registered, 7.2 million of them had previously used the National Health Insurance Fund and 6.2 million of them were receiving coverage for the first time. The Health Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Deborah M. Barasa, is continuing to urge more Kenyans to enroll and improve registration numbers and healthcare delivery.
What Has Happened Since the Launch?
Unfortunately, the rollout of the Social Health Authority has not been issue-free. Many are worried that the current administration was so eager to access the billions raised from the new 2.7% deductions from the gross pay of all salaried workers that they rushed past several problems. For example, the National Assembly Health Committee chair warned the government about the rollout and said that there was potential corruption at play, a lack of public participation, and concerns about single-sourcing. He was also concerned about the rapid rollout of the Integrated Health Information Technology System, as it had already failed test runs.
Tragically, the poor rollout of the Social Health Authority has already negatively impacted the health of many. In some hospitals, patients were denied treatment because their names were not in the new system. This included numerous patients undergoing lifesaving treatments, like dialysis and chemotherapy. Healthcare providers also were not sure how to collect payment, on top of system glitches that made it hard to process some payments at all.
Where Do We Go From Here?
President William Ruto recently announced that the government is going to start a review of the new Social Health Authority to address a number of concerns that have been pointed out by many Kenyans. As part of his announcement, he toured a hospital and spoke with patients to reassure them that he would ensure the new Social Health Authority rollout is successful.
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