President William Ruto has lauded five counties, led by Kirinyaga, for leading in registration for Universal Health Coverage, with 11 million Kenyans already registered across the country.
Speaking during the Jamhuri Day celebrations, Ruto called on Marsabit, Garissa, Mandera, West Pokot, and Turkana counties to mobilize, register, and take advantage of the benefits of this transformative program, as these counties had a low number of registrations.
Ruto added that a total of 5.6 million citizens have successfully transitioned from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA).
"This means that, in just two months, 11 million Kenyans who previously lacked access to healthcare services [are] now registered, with the registration process moving forward rapidly across every part of Kenya," Ruto said.
He called on all Kenyans to prioritize registering for the Health Programme to ensure access to quality healthcare.
"Kenyans who have registered often find that their concerns are fully addressed to their satisfaction during the registration process. Therefore, I commend all Kenyans to fully register with SHA," Ruto said.
Criticism
President William Ruto has urged Kenyans to register with SHA before criticizing its functionality.
This comes as the national government and some counties have now adopted a door-to-door campaign, with community leaders and politicians joining the efforts to rally more people to embrace the new system.
The new approach has seen staff members of the Ministry of Interior and National Coordination, county officials, and health volunteers rallying Kenyans to embrace the new healthcare system.
Since the SHA rollout began on October 1, one of the biggest challenges the government has faced has been convincing Kenyans, particularly those from remote areas, of the benefits of the new scheme.
The process of transitioning from NHIF to SHA has not been flawless, with factors such as system glitches, resistance from various stakeholders, and confusion at the start complicating the process.
However, the government has consistently reiterated its commitment to the new scheme, which President William Ruto says aims to provide broader access to healthcare for Kenyans from all walks of life.
