The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has backed the Social Health Authority (SHA), emphasizing that the system must succeed to safeguard healthcare jobs.
On Tuesday, KMPDU secretary-general Davji Atellah acknowledged the challenges facing SHA but insisted that it must work.
He warned that failure to implement the system effectively could lead to job losses among medical professionals.
"Our stand as a union on SHA is that, yes, it has challenges, but it must work," Atellah said during an interview with NTV.
"If it doesn’t work, doctors will lose their jobs. How can we provide services in hospitals if patients cannot afford treatment?"
This marks the first time KMPDU has expressed support for the healthcare system since its rollout last year.
The union had strongly opposed the introduction of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
The government has initiated an aggressive campaign to mobilise Kenyans to register saying the benefits in SHA are superior to NHIF’s.
"SHIF is a sinking ship! There is too much bilge water for it to sail. We have rejected the Act with one clear message: it will prevent Kenyans from accessing healthcare," KMPDU said in a statement.
Atellah had previously criticized the decision to replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) with SHIF, arguing that NHIF provided better coverage.
"We have consistently warned that NHIF’s comprehensive medical package was superior to all private insurance plans," he stated.
He further criticised halting NHIF to benefit private insurers, calling the move a "double robbery" against civil servants.
"This is an injustice we cannot accept," Atellah declared.
On January 29, the Ministry of Health said a total of 18,519,609 people have registered for the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Ministry Director General Patrick Amoth said on Wednesday that there has been a surge in the number of Kenyans registering for SHA.
This is as the ministry said that the pre-authorizations are now taking 12.9 minutes for outpatients while inpatient-related approvals are down to 3 hours from 6 hours.
