Kakamega County Records Low Turnout in Social Health Authority Insurance Fund (SHA) Registration

By Mary Owano 

Kakamega County, with a population of approximately 2.5 million, has one of the lowest registration rates in the Social Health Authority Insurance Fund (SHA) across the country. 

To date, only 23,000 people have registered for the fund, ranking the county among those with the fewest citizens enrolled.

During the official launch of the program in Kakamega Town, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Dr. Deborah Mulongo, urged residents to participate in the ongoing registration exercise to benefit from the fund.

“We now have a primary health care system that will accommodate all of us, providing services in all health facilities from level one to level six, completely free of charge. The only requirement is registration,” Dr. Mulongo stated. 

“Emergency services will also be provided at no cost. I encourage Kenyans to register and make the payments, which are minimal considering the range of illnesses we face. The vulnerable and disabled members of society will receive free treatment from level one to level six through this fund.”

Dr. Mulongo explained that the fund payments start at KSh 300, depending on the individual’s capability, which is about 2.5% of their income.

She further assured that Kenyans previously registered with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) will continue to receive care during the ongoing transfer process to SHA. 

"To transfer, simply dial *147# or visit a health facility for assistance. I encourage all Kenyans to participate in the registration process."

Dr. Wachira, the CEO of the Social Health Insurance Fund, echoed Dr. Mulongo’s sentiments, stressing the importance of registering for SHA to cover future medical expenses.

“Kakamega has one of the lowest turnouts for SHA registration, meaning many residents are not covered. There are two ways to pay hospital bills: cash or insurance. You can’t always have enough money, and medical expenses can be costly. This fund ensures that your bills are covered in case of illness,” Dr. Wachira explained. He emphasized that SHA helps manage the financial burden of costly treatments, especially for rising cases of diseases like cancer.

Kakamega County Governor, who was also present at the launch, highlighted the benefits of SHA to the residents, encouraging participation despite the low registration numbers.

“From today, those registered with SHA will receive free treatment at all level two and three health facilities. The county government is fully supporting the SHA program because it will allow vulnerable residents to access health services, including treatment for chronic conditions like cancer,” the Governor said.

He acknowledged the low registration rate, with only 23,000 people registered out of over 2.5 million residents, and called on more people to sign up.

The Social Health Authority (SHA), which replaces the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), was established to ease the financial burden of hospital expenses. So far, only 2.3 million Kenyans have registered for the fund nationwide.