The new Social Health Authority (SHA) is a major step by the government towards achieving the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The Authority Ag. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Ingasira has highlighted the various innovations embraced by the medical scheme to ensure effective health services delivery to the citizens like digital enrolment and biometric identification, which draws its data from the National Registration Bureau (NRB) data base, electronic claims processing; fraud detection systems using artificial intelligence (AI) and Health Information Exchange among others.
Ingasira spoke when addressing the members of the public during the Second Annual Regulatory Authorities and Agencies (RAAs) Conference in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county under the theme, “The Urgent Fortification of the Responsiveness by Regulators to the Campaign on the Revitalization and Re-energization of Regulatory Authorities and Agencies, with the byline being, Strengthening Regulators; Enhancing Compliance.”
Ingasira pointed out that the SHA (SHI Act) created in 2023 replaced the old NHIF system in order to make sure everyone can get health care without financial problems and aims to improve healthcare for all Kenyans through the three funds, namely, The primary Healthcare Fund (PHCF), Social health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and Emergency Chronic and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF).
The Ag. CEO emphasized that the SHI Act is guided by principles of universal coverage, which ensures access to essential services for all Kenyans; a contributory basis, which involves contributions from individuals, employers and government; risk pooling, where contributions are pooled to create a fund for paying for healthcare services for all members; and the principle of equity, which ensures contributory amounts are proportionate to income levels to ensure fair participation across income brackets.
Noting that the SHA is more advantageous compared to the old NHIF, Ingasira urged Kenyans to register in numbers, noting that the SHA systems are all working across all public hospitals from Level 1 to Level 6.
He revealed that the current statistics show that the total registration stands at 21.8 million, with 6.38 million dependents, a total claim value of Sh56.7 billion, 1.5 million total number of patients treated, and 2.4 million total visits, while some 4.6 million Kenyans have undergone means testing.
The Ag. CEO called for adequate funding for PHCF, ECCIF, indigents, strong collaborations and partnerships with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs), full integration, automation and digitalization, sustained public awareness, as well as inclusivity of special groups and others in order to streamline services.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
