Imagine a world where you and your family can access healthcare right in your neighbourhood without the need to travel far when illness strikes.
Picture a Kenya where health facilities – whether a small dispensary or a top-tier hospital-are well equipped, adequately staffed and stocked with all the necessary medicines and supplies.
In this Kenya, your medical history is readily available through a secure digital platform, minimizing the risk of misdiagnoses and avoiding repetitive tests.
Here, every Kenyan, whether it’s a child needing a routine check-up, a teenage preparing for surgery, a mother about to deliver, an elderly person managing a chronic condition, receives the care they need, irrespective of their social or financial status.
This vision of healthcare accessibility and quality isn’t just an ideal; it’s the future that the Social Health Authority (SHA) promises to deliver for all Kenyans.
The roll-out of SHA is a critical step towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya.
The Social Health Insurance (SHI) scheme, as outlined in the Social health Insurance Act of 2023, is built on principles that ensure universal coverage, equitable contributions, participation, risk pooling, and financial protection.
These principles are designed to make healthcare accessible and affordable for every Kenyans, reducing the financial burden that often comes with illness and ensuring that no one is left behind.
The introduction of centralized digital platform under SHS, mandated by the Digital Health Act of 2023, is one of the most significant advancements in Kenya’s healthcare system.
This platform is designed to enhance efficiency, reduce opportunities for fraud and human error, and ensure that quality services are delivered consistently across the country.
It addresses the gaps and inefficiencies of the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), providing a more reliable and streamed system that Kenyans can trust.
Access to healthcare under SHA is not just about making services available; it’s about bringing these services closer to the people who need them most. The Ministry of Health has established Primary Health Care Networks (PCNs) as a cornerstone of this new system, ensuring that person-centered services are delivered at the community level.
These networks are designed to provide continuous and sustainable healthcare, with a strong focus on preventive and promotive care. Importantly, the Primary Health care Fund, which covers outpatient services at the community level, and the Emergency Fund, both ensure that Kenyans can access these services without incurring out-of-pocket expenses.
A key component of SHA’s approach is the deployment of over 107,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) across the country.
These CHPs are trained to provide basic healthcare services directly to households, focusing on preventive and promotive care. There presence in the community reduces the need for people to visit hospitals for routine check-ups and screenings, bringing healthcare to the doorstep of every Kenyan.
The Facilities Improvement Financing Act of 2023 further strengthens this vision by ensuring that funds from public facility services are securely managed and used to improve health facilities across all the counties in the country.
This Act enables counties to access the financing they need to enhance the quality of care provided in government hospitals, ensuring that every Kenyans can rely on their local healthcare system.
If managed effectively, the Social Health Authority has the potential to bring about significant changes in Kenya’s healthcare system. It promises to reduce financial barriers to healthcare and improve health outcomes for all Kenyans.
However, the success of this system depends on the participation of every Kenyans. By registering with SHA, you can protect yourself and your family from the financial hardships that often accompany illness an ensure that you have access to the care you need when you need it.
A healthier, more equitable Kenya is within our reach. The Social health Authority is not just about providing healthcare; it is about ensuring that every Kenyans, regardless of their financial situation, has access to the quality care they deserve.
This is the future we must all work towards – a future where healthcare is not a privilege but a right for every citizen.
Harry Kimtai is the Principal Secretary State Department of Medical Services.
