HEALTH: CS Duale Says SHA Fully Functional Now
Aden Duale, the Health Cabinet Secretary (CS), offered the guarantee when he appeared before the committee chaired by Samuel Chepkong’a (Ainabkoi) to address two crucial digital health rules.
“Like any new programme, SHA faced some initial challenges, which was expected,” said Duale.
“However, I can now confirm that the system is working and many Kenyans are benefiting while more others are registering every day.”
He informed the House team that at least 5,000 Kenyans had registered with SHA by the morning of the meeting.
Held a consultative session with the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation, chaired by Hon. Samuel Chepkonga (MP, Ainabkoi), to review the 2025 Digital Health Regulations at Bunge Towers.
— Hon. Aden Duale, EGH (@HonAdenDuale) April 22, 2025
The meeting focused on aligning the regulations with earlier recommendations… pic.twitter.com/K0EZTUv1ap
“We expect the number to rise to over 10,000 by the end of the day,” he added.
The committee grilled him about new regulations aimed at establishing an integrated digital healthcare system while protecting data privacy.
The proposed recommendations are the Digital Health (Health Information Management Procedures) Regulations 2025 and the Digital Health (Data Exchange Component) Regulations 2025.
Under the new Social Health Authority (SHA), access to benefits is instant and seamless, a major improvement from the old NHIF system, where patients often waited up to two months just to be registered and approved.
— Hon. Aden Duale, EGH (@HonAdenDuale) April 16, 2025
This efficient rollout ensures that Kenyans can receive timely… pic.twitter.com/LWNsRO1BmD
According to the CS, to facilitate the transfer from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), the Ministry launched the USSD code *147# to facilitate registration and access.
At the session, MPs praised the increasing number of Kenyans enrolling in SHA as well as those benefiting from the initiative.
“The Ministry, under your leadership, has made good progress. However, we still need robust public awareness campaigns to increase understanding and uptake, especially at the grassroots level,” said Chepkong’a.
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He added, “Health facilities should clearly display the services they offer under SHA so the public knows what to expect.”
Members also advised that all public health facilities be properly labeled with their service levels, such as Level One or Level Two.
This move was intended to provide patients with clear guidance on what services they may expect under the scheme when they walk in.
Duale said the digital health law will improve service delivery by using advanced technology to support the rollout of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and eliminate unqualified practitioners in the health sector.
HEALTH: CS Duale Says SHA Fully Functional Now
