President William Ruto has defended the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying the programme has significantly expanded access to healthcare across the country despite criticism and what he termed as propaganda against the initiative.
Speaking in Bomet County while opening the Kapkoros Sub-County Hospital, the President said SHA had already registered about 33 million Kenyans, compared with only eight million people who were covered by the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Ruto said the broader coverage under SHA was a major step towards achieving universal healthcare, noting that the scheme was designed to serve Kenyans across different social and economic categories.
“No amount of propaganda can erase the fact that SHA has stamped its mark in the delivery of universal healthcare in Kenya,” President Ruto said.
He said unlike NHIF, which largely benefited people in formal employment, SHA was structured to cover all categories of Kenyans.
The President also said SHA was facilitating payments to health facilities ranging from dispensaries to Level Six hospitals for services provided to patients.
According to Ruto, the implementation of the Facility Improvement Financing Act had further strengthened healthcare delivery by ensuring that funds paid to facilities are deposited directly into their respective accounts.
He said the arrangement was enabling hospitals and other health facilities to access funds needed to improve services and respond to the healthcare needs of communities.
“Consequently, more Kenyans are now accessing medical attention, including primary healthcare, and experiencing the benefits of social health insurance,” he said.
The President said the opening of Kapkoros Sub-County Hospital in Bomet Central Constituency would further improve access to quality primary healthcare for residents in the area.
The facility is expected to reduce the distance residents travel in search of medical services while strengthening the provision of essential healthcare at the community level.
Ruto said investment in primary healthcare remained critical to the government's universal healthcare agenda, as it allows illnesses to be detected and treated early while reducing pressure on higher-level hospitals.
The commissioning of Kapkoros Sub-County Hospital adds to ongoing government efforts to expand healthcare infrastructure and bring medical services closer to Kenyans.
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