Families across Embu, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Mathira have shared personal accounts of how the Social Health Authority (SHA) has helped reduce the financial burden of medical treatment, with beneficiaries saying the scheme has enabled them to access hospital care that would previously have forced them to organise community fundraisers.
From emergency admissions and maternity care to treatment for children and ongoing hospital visits, the beneficiaries said SHA had given them relief during some of their most difficult moments.
For Baba Fahim, a fruit vendor in Sagana, the value of health insurance became clear after his wife was involved in a road accident.
He recalled the days when families whose loved ones required specialised treatment often depended on harambees, with entire villages contributing money to settle hospital bills.
Baba Fahim said his wife was hit by a vehicle that was allegedly driving on the wrong lane before fleeing the scene. He rushed her to hospital, but the ordeal continued even after she was initially discharged.
When the pain persisted, they returned to the hospital for further examinations.
“The scans showed that she had broken ribs and needed treatment and bed rest,” he said.
As a casual fruit seller supporting his family through daily earnings, Baba Fahim said the situation became overwhelming as he moved between the police station for the P3 process and the hospital while worrying about how he would raise money for treatment.
He said registering for SHA was straightforward and that after completing the required forms and making payment, the cover became active immediately.
His wife was subsequently admitted and began receiving treatment, bringing relief to the family during the difficult period.
Baba Fahim expressed hope that healthcare services would continue improving, saying many Kenyans who had not experienced SHA might not fully understand the difference it could make during emergencies.
SHA supports maternity care
In Embu, Kevin Nduguta said SHA helped his family during the birth of his second child, easing the financial pressure that had accompanied the delivery.
Nduguta, a father of two, said the health cover catered for about KSh30,000 of the hospital bill while he contributed approximately KSh10,000.
Both his wife and newborn baby are now home and doing well.
He said SHA continues supporting the family through the baby’s clinic visits, making the period after delivery more manageable.
Nduguta contrasted the experience with the birth of his first child five years ago when he struggled to raise money for hospital expenses because he had no financial support.
This time, he said, being enrolled under SHA helped reduce the burden significantly.
He called on the government to continue investing in health infrastructure by expanding hospitals and improving maternity services, including the availability of private wards for mothers.
Child’s treatment eased by SHA
Joyce Wambui from Mathira also recounted how SHA came to her family’s rescue when their child fell seriously ill.
She said the hospital bill quickly rose beyond what the family could comfortably afford, but SHA covered about KSh115,000 while they paid only around KSh3,000.
According to Wambui, the experience demonstrated a major shift from previous years when families frequently resorted to fundraising drives whenever relatives required expensive medical treatment.
She thanked the government for the programme but appealed for improved medicine availability in public hospitals.
Wambui specifically urged authorities to address drug shortages at facilities such as Mandawa Hospital so that patients could receive complete treatment without being forced to purchase medicine elsewhere.
Call for more hospitals
Another Embu resident, Jacqueline Nyokabi, said SHA had changed her experience of seeking medical care.
Nyokabi said she applied for SHA at a hospital in Embu last year and was subsequently treated and issued medicine without making the payments she had become accustomed to before joining the scheme.
She said the programme had reduced the financial obstacles that often prevented families from visiting hospitals when they fell ill.
“Before SHA, going to hospital meant paying for services, and when you did not have money, you could end up treating yourself at a chemist,” she said.
Nyokabi appealed to the government to construct more hospitals, particularly in remote parts of the country where residents are still forced to travel long distances to access medical services.
She said bringing health facilities closer to communities would reduce the struggle faced by patients who either delay treatment or rely on self-medication because of distance.
Hope for families battling chronic illnesses
In Kieni, Nyeri County, Anne Wanjiru said SHA was currently helping her family as her daughter receives treatment at Karatina District Hospital.
Wanjiru said her daughter has been undergoing scans, receiving medication and benefiting from support towards the hospital bill through the health cover.
The experience, she said, had given her hope that more families would be able to access treatment without carrying the entire financial burden alone.
She noted that managing chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cancer remains expensive for many households, with cancer medication often costing beyond the reach of ordinary families and diabetes drugs sometimes unavailable.
Wanjiru said continued strengthening of SHA would provide much-needed relief to patients requiring long-term treatment and help ensure families are not forced into financial distress whenever serious illness strikes.
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