The Social Health Authority (SHA) is grappling with system challenges following the onboarding of a large number of users.
Speaking on Monday, January 20, during an interview on Spice FM, President William Ruto’s Senior Economic Advisor, Moses Kuria, confirmed that the issues have left many Kenyans unable to access the system.
“It’s true that the numbers at our level five and six facilities, like Kenyatta National Hospital, are overwhelming. Many people are trying to access the system,” Kuria stated.
He attributed the challenges to a misalignment between the Integrated Healthcare Information Technology System (IHTS) and the providers’ portal.
“We allowed all the facilities—15,000 of them—to access our system from the backend, and that top-down approach has contributed to the overload,” he explained.
Despite the hurdles, Kuria expressed optimism, noting that efforts are underway to enhance the system for efficiency. “I am not claiming perfection. Emerging issues are opportunities for us to fix the system. By July 31, we anticipate that all will be working smoothly,” he added.
The economic advisor also assured Kenyans that complaints are being addressed with advanced solutions. He emphasized that the SHA aims to provide equal healthcare services in both public and private facilities.
“You will receive the same treatment in a private hospital as in a public hospital. SHA does not discriminate,” Kuria remarked.
Additionally, Kuria highlighted the significant increase in insurance fund collections since SHA’s adoption in October 2024. He revealed plans to incorporate individuals from the informal sector to further boost the fund.
“I would like to see more benefits directed toward the ICU and HDU. Once we bring in more people from the informal sector, we will generate more resources,” he said.
To improve service delivery, the advisory team is forming a committee to review the benefits provided by the insurance fund and make necessary adjustments.
