CS Aden Duale Urges Kenyans to Join the SHA Despite Concerns Over Implementation Challenges
Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, has strongly urged all Kenyans to enroll in the newly established Social Health Alliance (SHA) under the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program, dismissing critics who have raised concerns about the initiative. His call comes amid ongoing nationwide efforts to expand equitable access to quality healthcare and reduce financial barriers for millions of citizens.
Key Takeaways
- Kenya’s Social Health Alliance (SHA) is the new social health insurance scheme under Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
- Over 17.8 million Kenyans are registered with SHA as of early 2025.
- Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale urges all Kenyans to enroll, dismissing critics as growing pains.
- SHA replaces the old NHIF with three funds focusing on primary care, social health insurance, and critical illness.
- Innovations include biometric enrollment, digital claims processing, and a Health Provider Portal.
- Challenges exist but are being addressed through reforms and partnerships with counties and providers.
- The government aims for 80% health insurance coverage by 2025 and universal coverage by 2035.
Table of Contents
The Social Health Alliance and UHC Progress
The SHA, launched as part of Kenya’s ambitious UHC reforms, replaces the older National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) system with a more comprehensive and efficient social health insurance framework. The SHA operates through three specialized funds: the Primary Healthcare Fund (PHCF), the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF). Together, these funds aim to cover promotive, preventive, curative, and critical care services for all Kenyans.
As of January 2025, over 17.8 million Kenyans have registered with SHA, including 13.2 million new members and 4.6 million who transitioned from NHIF. This rapid uptake demonstrates growing public acceptance of the program despite some operational challenges.
Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale’s Position
Speaking publicly, CS Aden Duale emphasized that the SHA is a transformative step toward achieving UHC, a flagship priority of the Kenya Kwanza administration aligned with the country’s Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals. He acknowledged that while the program has faced some technical and service delivery issues, these are “growing pains” typical of large-scale reforms and do not undermine the scheme’s long-term benefits.
Duale dismissed critics who question the SHA’s viability, stating that the old NHIF system was collapsing after 60 years of operation and that the new SHA model is designed to be more sustainable, transparent, and inclusive. He urged Kenyans to embrace the scheme to ensure they can access affordable and quality healthcare without facing financial hardship.
Key Features and Innovations of SHA
The SHA incorporates several innovations to improve healthcare delivery and user experience:
Digital Enrollment and Biometric Identification
SHA uses biometric data linked to the National Registration Bureau to ensure accurate member identification and reduce fraud.
Electronic Claims Processing and AI-Based Fraud Detection
These technologies accelerate claims settlement and protect the scheme’s financial integrity.
Health Information Exchange System
Over 8,500 health facilities have enrolled in the Health Provider Portal, facilitating seamless data sharing and improved decision-making.
Focus on Primary Healthcare
The PHCF prioritizes promotive and preventive services, community-centered care, and increased immunization coverage, which reached 93% for fully immunized children by October 2024.
Comprehensive Coverage
The three funds collectively cover outpatient visits, inpatient admissions, and critical illness care, with monthly outpatient visits averaging 4.6 million.
Addressing Challenges and Public Concerns
While the SHA has faced challenges such as system downtimes and some providers failing to meet service expectations, government officials maintain that these issues are being addressed through continuous reforms and stakeholder engagement. Principal Secretary for Public Health Mary Muthoni highlighted that restructuring NHIF into three distinct funds was necessary to build a stronger, more responsive health insurance system.
The Ministry of Health and SHA leadership continue to engage with counties and healthcare providers to expand service availability and improve quality. Forty-five counties have signed Implementation Partner Agreements to support UHC rollout, with 35 counties requisitioning services for nearly 600 health facilities.
The Path Forward
The government’s multi-pronged approach to UHC includes strengthening healthcare financing, improving service delivery, investing in human resources, and leveraging digital health solutions. The aim is to increase health insurance coverage from about 20% in 2019 to 80% by 2025 and achieve universal coverage by 2035.
CS Aden Duale’s call for enrollment underscores the critical role of citizen participation in realizing these goals. By joining SHA, Kenyans can protect themselves and their families against catastrophic health expenses while contributing to a sustainable healthcare system that leaves no one behind.
