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Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Ouma Oluga, has confirmed that the Social Health Authority (SHA) is now fully functional and significantly improving access to healthcare across Kenya.
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Providing an update on its implementation, Oluga revealed that SHA has already registered 23 million members, with an average of 50,000 new sign-ups daily. Since the programme’s launch, Sh43 billion has been disbursed within eight months, highlighting its fast adoption and growing demand.
“So far, more than 4.5 million Kenyans have received treatment fully covered by SHA, without paying any additional cost,” Oluga said.
He added that the Emergency Fund, backed entirely by the government as per constitutional provisions, is now active. Furthermore, the Primary Healthcare Fund is operational, covering patient costs at all Level 2 to Level 4 facilities contracted by SHA—whether public, private, or faith-based—at no cost to patients.
Oluga also noted that SHA emphasizes timely payments, with reimbursements to healthcare providers made every 14 days to ensure consistent service delivery and provider trust.
To enhance accessibility and affordability, SHA has introduced a flexible payment plan. Speaking during Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay, President William Ruto unveiled the “Lipa SHA Pole Pole” initiative, which allows Kenyans to pay their annual contributions in smaller, manageable installments—monthly, weekly, or even daily.
“This new model will help address the issue of inconsistent payments, particularly among informal workers, by offering a flexible and practical payment solution,” said President Ruto.
Oluga urged Kenyans to register and manage their SHA accounts by dialing *147#, emphasizing that the system is easy to use and accessible to all.
