NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 22 – The Ministries of Education and Health will hold a Special Parents’ Day on January 23 at all public and private schools in Mombasa to register parents and students for the Social Health Authority (SHA).
This pilot exercise follows a directive issued by President William Ruto during the Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi.
“I urge all parents to accompany their children when they report back to school. TaifaCare requires all Kenyans to have medical coverage, and we want to register all children to better plan for their healthcare needs,” the President stated.
This move could provide significant relief to approximately 3.4 million learners who were left uninsured after the termination of the Sh4.5 billion EduAfya school insurance scheme.
Under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), all Kenyans aged 18 and above are mandated to contribute to the fund to finance Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Starting in October, the government began deducting 2.75% of salaried workers’ monthly income to support the scheme.
Those without a steady income are required to contribute a minimum of Sh300 per month.
The government discontinued the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) in October 2024 and mandated that all healthcare providers and patients transition to SHIF.
Over 17 million Kenyans have been registered under this new health coverage. All Kenyans registered with SHA are entitled to primary healthcare services, even if they have not made contributions.
The new system is designed to improve healthcare services for all Kenyans, addressing the limitations of NHIF while expanding the scope of care to include preventive services and chronic illness management.
For salaried employees, the monthly contribution rate is 2.75% of their gross salary, with a minimum contribution of Sh300 per month and no maximum limit.
Employers are required to remit this contribution by the ninth day of the following month.
For non-salaried individuals, the household is required to make an annual contribution of 2.75% of the household income, with a minimum of Sh300 per month (no maximum contribution), due within 14 days before the end of the annual contribution period.
