The Ministry of Health has insisted that the Social Health Authority (SHA) is now fully operational and transforming healthcare access nationwide.
Providing an update on the initiative’s progress, Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga shared that the programme has already registered 23 million members and continues to grow rapidly, with 50,000 new sign-ups every day.
In just eight months, the government has reportedly disbursed Ksh43 billion through the SHA, which Oluga said was a clear sign of the programme’s scale-up and high public demand. He reported that over 4.5 million Kenyans have already accessed treatment fully covered by SHA, without incurring any extra costs.
The Principal Secretary also confirmed that the Emergency Fund is fully operational and funded entirely by the government, fulfilling constitutional mandates to provide critical support in emergencies. Alongside this, the Primary Healthcare Fund is active and covers all patient expenses at SHA-contracted Level 2 to Level 4 health facilities whether public, private, or faith-based, ensuring patients pay nothing out-of-pocket.
Another supposed key achievement for SHA is its strong emphasis on efficiency. Oluga explained that the authority settles payments every 14 days, which guarantees healthcare providers receive funds promptly. This reliable payment schedule allows providers to deliver continuous, quality care without disruption.
To make healthcare access more inclusive, SHA recently introduced a flexible payment plan called “Lipa SHA Pole Pole.” Unveiled by President William Ruto during the Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay, this initiative enables Kenyans to pay their annual SHA contributions in easy installments.
“We are introducing an innovative and inclusive payment solution called Lipa SHA pole pole or Lipa SHA mos mos. This initiative will enable Kenyans to remit their annual SHA contribution through installments, whether monthly, weekly, or daily,” President Ruto said.
Oluga encouraged all Kenyans to register or manage their SHA accounts by dialing *147#.
