The government has dispatched 70 ICT specialists to support the nationwide rollout of the Social Health Authority (SHA), aiming to streamline access to the new healthcare schemes.
The Principal Secretary State Department of Medical Services, Harry Kimtai, explained that the officers have been deployed to address system challenges many health facilities have encountered, particularly delays in obtaining login credentials necessary for SHA services.
"Our service providers and digital health agencies have designated 70 technical ICT experts who will be deployed to support each and every county to ensure the facilities without issued credentials get them and continue providing the services", he said
The deployment of ICT officials, he added, is expected to accelerate the rollout by ensuring users' access and efficiency to navigate the system.
He was speaking in Kisumu on Thursday after having a meeting with the county commissioners from the Lake Region and Western Region together with CECs of health as part of their deliberations and continuation of the rollout of SHA across the country.
Kimtai noted that during the meeting they took stock of the successes and challenges that they have heard since the rollout of SHA on October 1.
"We have reviewed the registration of Kenyans to SHA, and we are happy and impressed that the number is going up, right now there are 13.4 million Kenyans, and the number is still going up," Kimtai said.
"Yesterday alone, the number was 135,000. We are very impressed because we have seen the numbers going up, and we urge Kenyans to continue registering so that they are able to go to health facilities and access healthcare services."
The PS added that they have noted that Kenyans are adding their dependence as their beneficiaries and urged them to speed up the process because that is part of the challenges when they go to facilities where dependents have not been captured.
"They are sometimes turned away without getting treatment."
To further accelerate SHA registration, Kimtai revealed the government has introduced a multisectoral team to lead the process across counties.
This team includes county commissioners, county health executives, and community health promoters who will engage with eligible citizens at the grassroots level.
"The CHPs have also been trained on assisted registration. We expect this exercise to boost our registrations and numbers of Kenyans to enrol in SHA."
The PS further noted that the exercise has culminated, and they now expect the county's CEC committee members and commissioners to take up from there, for the purpose of the rollout of SHA in their respective counties.
"We want to thank the CEC for the health from the 47 counties because they have embraced and will ensure no facility denies members of the public health services."
