The government has officially rebranded the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), which replaced the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), to Taifa Care.
In his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, November 21, President William Ruto highlighted the transition from the NHIF model to Taifa Care as a key milestone in Kenya’s journey towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Throughout his speech, the President consistently referred to the new model as Taifa Care.
President Ruto expressed confidence in Taifa Care, emphasizing its potential to deliver efficient and effective healthcare services to all Kenyans.
“Despite serving a limited class of citizens, NHIF accumulated billions of shillings in debt due to the misalignment between contributions and the actual cost of healthcare. Taifa Care has undertaken accurate costing of all healthcare-related goods and services to ensure timely, effective, and efficient service delivery,” Ruto stated.
Under the Taifa Care system, all citizens are eligible for healthcare services upon registration. The President reiterated the new model’s goal of achieving equitable access to healthcare for everyone.
Since its rollout on October 1, 2024, Taifa Care has faced criticism from sections of the public. Concerns have been raised about its effectiveness, with claims that the system locks out thousands of patients from accessing essential healthcare services.
Critics also accused the government of rushing the implementation of the Sh104.8 billion system, ignoring early signs of challenges.
In response, President Ruto assured the nation that progress was being made, noting that over 15 million Kenyans had already enrolled in Taifa Care, with 60 percent of employers successfully transitioning into the system.
“Once the transition from NHIF is complete and Taifa Care becomes fully operational, Kenya will have a healthcare system that guarantees dignity, peace of mind, and equitable access for every citizen for the very first time in our 60 years of independence,” the President remarked.
