SHA receives Sh4 billion for public servants' medical cover

The government has released Sh4 billion to the Social Health Authority (SHA) to cater for public servants' medical cover.

Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku said the government was committed to improving the welfare of public servants.

The CS rallied support for SHA, urging Kenyans to register in large numbers. SHA CEO Dr Mercy Mwangangi confirmed receipt of the funds on Friday.

CS Ruku said the allocation will ensure public servants are fully covered under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). He said will protect its workers from high out-of-pocket health expenses.

The CS spoke at ACK St Peter’s Cathedral Siakago in Mbeere North, Embu County, during the annual ACK Women’s Union service,

Ruku described SHA as a transformative step toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

He observed that approximately 30,000 Kenyans are registering daily, signalling growing public confidence in the new health system.

“Public servants are already What remains is for us to diligently serve wananchi and support the rollout of SHA so that every Kenyan can access affordable and quality healthcare,” Ruku emphasised.

The service brought together hundreds of congregants, government officials, and local leaders. A key highlight was the official induction of 987 women into the Mothers’ Union, led by the ACK Dean Bishop Moses Masamba, who is also the Bishop of the Diocese of Mbeere.

The women also contributed towards the Green Blue Apartment Siakago project, a housing initiative spearheaded by the Diocese’s Women’s Department.

Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development, Alice Wahome, hailed SHA as a “game-changer” in Kenya’s healthcare sector.

“SHA is the game-changer for a healthy community. We must educate, we must mobilise, and above all, we must register,” said CS Wahome

She also provided updates on the Affordable Housing Programme, revealing that 170,000 units are nearing completion and that 670,000 Kenyans have already applied.

Wahome further appealed to the people of Mbeere to support the government, especially in the upcoming Mbeere North by-election, as a show of confidence and reciprocation following the elevation of immediate former Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku, now serving as a Cabinet Secretary.

Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire highlighted major strides in the county’s health sector, disclosing that Sh213 million has been disbursed to Embu Level 5 Hospital since July.

She confirmed that maternity services are now fully free and that Embu ranks fifth nationally in SHA registration, with 302,000 individuals signed up, representing 55 per cent of the county’s population.

“Health is personal. You are the only one who will suffer if you do not register,” said Mbarire, urging both men and women to embrace regular checkups, including cancer screening.

To ease payment, she encouraged Kenyans to utilise the SHA option of paying four months upfront, with the balance spread over the remaining eight months.

SHA CEO Dr Mercy Mwangangi provided a detailed breakdown of SHA’s structure and benefits. She assured Kenyans that the government is closing loopholes that could lead to fund mismanagement, strengthening transparency and building a healthcare system that leaves no one behind.