The Social Health Authority (SHA) has achieved a major milestone, with more than 13 million Kenyans already registered under the new healthcare scheme.
According to, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Medical Services Harry Kimtai, the transition from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA is progressing smoothly, ensuring that millions of Kenyans continue to access healthcare services without interruption.
“As of today, 13.34 million Kenyans have registered under SHA, including former NHIF members and new registrants,” Kimtai announced during a press briefing at the Pullman Hotel, Upper Hill, Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
He noted that the government has seen a surge in daily registrations, with 91,000 Kenyans signing up in a single day.
The target is to have the entire population registered by December 2024.
The SHA, which replaces NHIF, allows Kenyans to access medical treatment at public, private, and faith-based healthcare facilities with uniform service costs across all sectors.
"Whether you visit a private, public, or faith-based hospital, the services and claims will be the same. SHA ensures equality in healthcare access," Kimtai emphasized.
Former NHIF members were automatically transitioned into the SHA system, with their premiums carried over to ensure no loss of coverage.
Kimtai reassured Kenyans that the shift from NHIF to SHA has been seamless.
"All NHIF members have been smoothly moved to SHA, and none have reported service disruptions. Their premiums were transferred without any issue."
To further boost registration efforts, the government is enlisting community health promoters to assist at the grassroots level, especially for households that do not have access to mobile phones.
Registration can be done via the USSD code *147# or on the official SHA website.
“The multi-sectoral approach we have adopted, involving county commissioners and health officials, will help ensure that every Kenyan is registered for SHA and able to access healthcare services,” Kimtai said.
With the SHA rollout gaining momentum, Kimtai encouraged Kenyans to take advantage of the registration process and continue accessing healthcare services without fear of service denial.
