EXPLAINER: How To Register More Than Four Wives For SHA
Aden Duale, the Health Cabinet Secretary, has delivered exclusive advice to the country’s pastoralist groups.
Duale noted that selling only one goat can feed up to four spouses and an endless number of children at the Social Health Authority (SHA) for a year.
Speaking in Marsabit County on Sunday, April 27, the CS stated that, unlike the NHIF, which only allowed one wife and four children, anyone can be onboarded if they can demonstrate reliance.
“All your children, even if it’s twenty children, SHA will pay, and you can also register up to four wives; before, the NHIF could only cover for only one wife and four children,” he said.
“I’m very sure that if you sacrifice and sell one goat and pay for your SHA for one year, I can guarantee that you will see the fruits, and whenever you need medical attention, there will be no need for a Harambee,” he added.
Public awareness on SHA remains low and some individuals are exploiting this gap by misleading Kenyans and charging them for registration, which is completely free.
— Hon. Aden Duale, EGH (@HonAdenDuale) April 16, 2025
The SHA system uses a secure, accurate means-testing tool to determine fair premiums and is built to prevent… pic.twitter.com/1RpwQwlcvc
Duale also stated that the administration plans to conduct a campaign in the country’s North-East region.
He believes that the region has lagged in SHA registration and encourages individuals to sign up for the health system.
“I have noticed that the pastoralist communities, especially Garissa, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, Isiolo, and Tana, are still low in the registration of SHA,” he said.
“I want to assure you that I will come with people from SHA and the Digital Health Authority so that we may start a plan to ensure that our people are registered,” he added.
The pronouncements come nearly a year after the Social Health Insurance Fund, in an information sheet released by SHA on June 30, 2024, removed the dependant restriction for polygamous families.
According to the government, one can register all of their dependents without limit, as long as they pay for them financially.
Furthermore, the authority stated that polygamous families would not be compelled to provide an additional contribution for each wife.
“There’s no limit to how many children you can include as long as you take care of them financially,” it stated.
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According to the CS, as of today, the medical system has registered 21.7 million Kenyans and contracted with more than 8,000 facilities across the country.
“Since today, this morning, 21.7 million Kenyans have registered for SHA, and each day, 40 to 60 thousand Kenyans are registering for SHA using the online platform,” he said.
In a statement on Saturday, April 26, Duale also clarified that teachers and their dependents are eligible for SHA.
— Hon. Aden Duale, EGH (@HonAdenDuale) April 26, 2025
He reiterated that teachers can access medical care under the Primary Healthcare Fund (PHC), Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Critical, and Chronic Illness Fund (ECCIF).
EXPLAINER: How To Register More Than Four Wives For SHA
