Nearly 13 million Kenyans have signed up for the Social Health Insurance Act coverage during the first six days since it was officially launched on October 1, 2024.
A total of 12,704,548 people enrolled in Social Health Authority (SHA) coverage between Oct. 1 and October 6, new data released Sunday by Harry Kimtai, the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Medical Services in the Ministry of Health, shows. Of those new enrollees, a large number include verified members who were under the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), the PS said.
The surge in sign-ups reflects a growing demand for affordable health insurance among Kenyans, the PS noted, urging more people to come out, register, and take advantage of SHA’s well-defined benefit packages that aim to ensure quality, affordable, and comprehensive health services are available for all.
“Registration is a continuous process and is ongoing through the USSD *147# or web-based portal on www.sha.go.ke or www.afyayangu.go.ke. We have also noted that most beneficiaries are registering but not adding their dependents,” he said.
The PS said all registered SHA beneficiaries are entitled to free access to primary healthcare services under the Primary Healthcare Fund at Level 2 dispensaries, Level 3 health centres, and select Level 4 health facilities as they continue to expand the breadth and exclusivity of physician and hospital networks within the health insurance system.
According to the PS, a hospital participation tool designed to help beneficiaries find participating hospitals in the SHA network is available at https://sha.go.ke/resources/categories/2, and more will be added by Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
Clarifying when registrations will be closed, he stated that sign-ups for SHA health plans across the country will remain open until a later date when everyone is enrolled, as registration is mandatory for all.
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