NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 12 – The government has intensified efforts to improve healthcare access for teachers after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale held talks with leaders of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) on strengthening service delivery under the new health financing framework.
The meeting, held on Thursday, brought together officials from the Ministry of Health and KNUT leadership led by chairperson Patrick Munuhe to discuss the welfare of teachers as they transition to services provided under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The engagement follows earlier consultations with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), as the government moves to streamline the transition of 413,577 teachers into the new healthcare system.
During the discussions, Duale outlined steps contained in a joint communiqué signed on March 10, 2026, aimed at improving healthcare delivery for teachers under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF).
The measures include strengthening system efficiency, improving access to quality healthcare services, and ensuring teachers fully benefit from the new scheme.
Among the key resolutions was the rollout of a continuous member education programme using the teachers’ national network.
The programme will be supported by a 24-hour toll-free helpline (0800 720 601 and short code 147) dedicated to assisting teachers with information on healthcare services.
Officials said the initiative will help teachers update their portal details, understand enhanced benefits under the medical scheme, and access guidance on the appropriate procedures during medical emergencies.
The meeting also agreed to introduce quarterly tripartite utilisation assessments, which will review service data, monitor healthcare provider performance, and strengthen quality assurance within the system.
To further improve accountability, the Health CS announced plans to implement a digital incident reporting mechanism that will help address cases of fraud, double billing, and unauthorised charges outside SHA coverage.
The meeting was attended by Mary Muthoni, Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth, SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi, Digital Health Agency CEO Anthony Lenayara, KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu and TSC representative Chrisantus Odhiambo, among other officials.
Last year, over 400,000 teachers across the country are expected to transition from the MINET medical insurance scheme to the Social Health Authority (SHA) in what is being billed as one o-f the most significant shifts in public sector healthcare coverage in recent years.
The transition is part of the government’s phased rollout of the new Universal Health Care (UHC) architecture, which seeks to streamline medical benefits for all public employees under a unified system.
The decision means teachers currently under the Teachers Service Commission (TSC)’s MINET medical plan will soon be covered through SHA, the state-managed health financing framework replacing the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Officials say the move is designed to widen access to healthcare services, enhance accountability in insurance payouts, and align the teaching workforce to a standardized national benefits structure.
