Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has emphasized the need to strengthen the newly introduced Social Health Authority (SHA) rather than reverting to the old National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). According to Wanga, SHA has already expanded healthcare access to many Kenyans, and the focus should be on refining the system rather than discarding it.
Wanga pointed out that new systems often face challenges in their initial stages but can be improved over time. She identified two key areas in SHA that require attention: reimbursement delays and frequent service outages. By addressing these gaps, Wanga believes Kenya can establish a robust Universal Health Care (UHC) system.
“People just say bring back NHIF, but remember when we had it, only 6% of Homa Bay people were able to access treatment. Now we have 40%. There were a lot of shenanigans at the back, and we had an inquiry in parliament about the number of fictitious claims that were being laid out,” Wanga stated.
She further insisted that those advocating for NHIF’s return may not fully understand the strides SHA has made in broadening access to healthcare services. She assured that SHA is already making reimbursements every two weeks, though the challenge lies in clearing old debts efficiently.
“Should we bring back NHIF? I’d say no. Should we fix the gaps in SHA, which would lead to reimbursement in time and system downtime? I’d say a big yes. Let us fix places where there are problems,” she added.
Wanga’s sentiments align with President William Ruto’s recent remarks on SHA. Speaking at Jesus Winner Ministry in Roysambu, Ruto reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the success of SHA, acknowledging that it might take time to perfect the system.
“SHA is the biggest programme we have in the Republic of Kenya. Maybe it will take time to be perfect, but believe you me, it is going to work. We have tried, we tried as Jubilee but failed, but this time around, we will succeed,” Ruto stated.
The President emphasized that SHA is designed to provide medical coverage to every Kenyan, regardless of financial background, addressing previous inequalities where only those formally employed or financially stable could afford insurance. The government remains committed to refining SHA to ensure universal healthcare access for all Kenyans.
