Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has urged residents who have not yet registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to enrol, saying access to healthcare should be treated as a personal responsibility rather than a political issue.
Kahiga said nearly 570,000 residents have already registered with SHA, with the number approaching 600,000, following his earlier call for increased enrolment.
The governor challenged those who remain opposed to the scheme to reconsider their position, asking who would meet their medical expenses if they fell ill.
He said political leaders would not personally pay hospital bills for residents facing medical emergencies.
“Who will pay your hospital bill when you fall sick?” Kahiga asked, arguing that residents should prioritise securing access to healthcare rather than allowing political considerations to influence their decisions.
Kahiga cites Sh300,000 ICU bills
Kahiga cited cases where patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) for several days can accumulate hospital bills of about KSh300,000.
He said enrolment in SHA could provide crucial financial protection to families confronted with such emergencies and prevent them from being pushed into financial hardship by medical expenses.
The governor urged residents to view health insurance as an important safeguard for themselves and their families, regardless of their political affiliations.
CHPs tasked with boosting registration
Kahiga also called on Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to intensify mobilisation at the household level and encourage residents who have yet to register with SHA to do so.
He said CHPs were well positioned to identify households that remain outside the health coverage system and explain the importance of enrolling.
The governor thanked Nyeri residents who had responded to his call, saying the county had made significant progress in SHA registration.
He challenged those who are yet to register to take advantage of the programme and help Nyeri reclaim its position as a leading county in SHA enrolment.
Kahiga said residents should focus on programmes that directly improve their welfare rather than allowing political disagreements to prevent them from accessing services designed to protect them from the financial burden of illness.
The push comes as the government continues efforts to expand coverage under the Social Health Authority and shift Kenya towards a universal healthcare system in which more households can access medical services without facing catastrophic out-of-pocket costs.
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