By Susan Simolo
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 9 — A group of church leaders from Nairobi and Kiambu regions is urging the government to temporarily reinstate the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) until technical and logistical challenges with the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) are resolved. The leaders highlighted that patients across Kenya are facing a healthcare crisis, with many being turned away from hospitals or forced to pay out-of-pocket costs due to issues with the SHIF rollout.
“We demand that the government suspend the implementation of SHIF and revert to NHIF until the Social Health Authority puts all necessary measures and structures in place,” the leaders from the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) stated. They criticized SHIF, claiming it is failing to provide the promised healthcare benefits, despite increased contributions.
The NCCK leaders voiced concern over the growing distress among patients and families due to an inability to access treatment for manageable health conditions. “There is a growing sense of sadness as we witness the immense suffering and rising deaths from treatable ailments,” they remarked, adding that Kenyans are disadvantaged by the current system. They called for improvements to ensure SHIF benefits match or surpass those under NHIF.
In response, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa has requested healthcare providers to continue treating patients, assuring them that unpaid claims would be addressed through the ministry. “I urge hospitals not to turn away patients, especially those with serious conditions like cancer,” Barasa said. Meanwhile, several healthcare providers, including dialysis centers and private hospitals, have expressed concerns about onboarding to SHIF, citing unpaid debts from the previous NHIF system.
President William Ruto, defending SHIF, noted that the program aims to expand healthcare access for disadvantaged families, emphasizing that challenges faced during the transition would not disrupt its implementation. As of October 1, NHIF was officially discontinued, with over 14 million Kenyans now registered under SHIF.
