The government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing affordable, high-quality healthcare services for all Kenyans as the State Health Assurance (SHA) program marks one month since its rollout.
Speaking during a tour at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), Deputy Government Spokesperson Mwanaisha Chidzuga highlighted the strides made under SHA, particularly in reducing the financial burden on patients across various services, including maternity, oncology and dialysis.
Chidzuga assured Kenyans of quality healthcare for all and said the government is now working to ensure everyone has access, regardless of financial challenges.
"Today, we have seen firsthand how patients are benefiting, some paying as little as Sh100 contributions, others receiving it free of charge."
Under SHA, the government has also increased maternal health coverage, which provides Sh10,000 to facilities for normal delivery and 32,000 for cesarean sections. In addition, for patients undergoing dialysis and chemotherapy, the facilities receive Sh10,000 for a person, ensuring that essential treatments are within reach for those who need them the most.
JOOTRH CEO Richard Lesiyampe praised SHA impacts, stating that since the program began, patients have consistently received timely care.
"Initially, we faced a few challenges, especially in the first week, but those were expected with a new system."
He said now, a month in, registration and treatment processes have stabilized, allowing expectant mothers and other patients to get care at no cost. The CEO also highlighted that the SHA 's pre-authorisation process (for surgeries) is significantly faster than NHIFs with SHA taking only 4 to 5 minutes as long as you have all the necessary attached documents, compared to NHIFs 3–7 days. This is the same as for treatments.
He added that this efficiency has led to an increase in patients using SHA, rising from 126 claims in the initial week to over 450 currently, a testament to SHAs growing trust among the community. SHA's financial benefits extend to healthcare facilities too.
Level six hospitals like JOOTRH now receive Sh 4800 reimbursement per patient for beds as opposed to Sh 3000 under NHIF, bolstering daily operations and enabling high-quality service delivery.
Chidzuga, on the other hand, urged Kenyans to verify that private clinics and hospitals are registered with SHA to avoid out-of-pocket expenses, especially as SHA has successfully registered almost 14 million Kenyans, ensuring access to services both public and compliant private facilities
"We are encouraging all Kenyans to register under SHA and seek health care with confidence. Any initial concerns are now resolved, and SHA is helping to ensure no patient goes without treatment," she affirmed, addressing widespread apprehension about the new system.
During the visit to the facility, women at the maternity wing were given presents to aid them with their newborn children, while those at the oncology unit also received some gifts."
