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President William Ruto has issued a firm defense of the Social Health Authority (SHA), dismissing persistent criticism surrounding the country’s healthcare overhaul and maintaining that the reform has established a solid foundation for universal health coverage.
Addressing a public gathering in Bomet County, the Head of State asserted that no amount of political propaganda or misleading rhetoric can erase the tangible progress achieved through the implementation of the new national health architecture.
Ruto emphasized that the transition from the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority represents a historic shift from an exclusive model toward an inclusive system designed to benefit every Kenyan citizen, regardless of employment status.
Highlighting key registration milestones, President Ruto revealed that over 33 million citizens have enrolled under the SHA system.
He contrasted this figure with the previous NHIF framework, which covered approximately eight million individuals—the vast majority of whom were drawn exclusively from formal sector employment.
The President noted that the new model ensures equitable access to medical care for vulnerable groups, informal workers, and low-income households who previously bore the burden of out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Ruto further clarified that operational disbursements are flowing directly to accredited public and private facilities nationwide under the Facility Improvement Financing framework.
Funds are deposited into facility accounts ranging from local dispensaries to Level Six referral hospitals to cover primary healthcare, emergency services, and chronic disease management.
Urging the public to ignore administrative misinformation spread by political opponents, the President reiterated that the executive remains committed to expanding medical infrastructure, securing pharmaceutical supplies, and ensuring seamless service delivery across all 47 counties.
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