Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime has called on residents to register for the Social Health Authority (SHA) scheme, saying it will support Kenyans who struggle to meet their medical needs.
Mwadime made the remarks during a development forum in Taita Taveta County led by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on July 3, 2025.
“As for SHA, those who haven’t registered, if you are not informed, it helps specifically those who cannot fend for themselves. I urge you to register. Even tomorrow, we’ll be with the CS for Health, Alen Duale, here in Taita Taveta to bring us the forum for digitisation,” Mwadime said.
In Kakamega County, Deputy Governor Ayub Savula urged the government to review SHA regulations to make medical services more accessible.
Speaking during the commissioning of a modern hatchery in Butere subcounty on Tuesday, Savula suggested removing the clause requiring contributors to pay for an entire year’s cover upfront.
“These people are poor and cannot manage to raise annual payments. The regulation should be reviewed to allow contributors to access medical services as long as they have paid for the current month,” he said.
“Asking someone who is struggling under the current economic hardships to pay huge amounts before being treated is like telling them to die without benefiting from the little they have already paid.”
Savula called on MPs to amend the regulations to encourage more Kenyans to enrol in the health scheme.
Meanwhile, President William Ruto said his administration has shut down at least 1,000 health facilities implicated in SHA-related fraud.
Speaking on July 3, 2025, during an engagement with Kenyans living and working in the United Kingdom, Ruto warned that more facilities will face closure in the coming days.
“The criminal elements that are staining SHA will not succeed. We have tracked and closed over 1,000 medical facilities engaging in fraud. More are on the way. Our health programme must remain efficient and incorruptible,” he said.
The President reaffirmed his government’s commitment to making SHA fully functional and ethical.
