Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA) is showing promise in detecting fraud more effectively than the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
In a statement on Tuesday, Kindiki praised the authority’s systems, highlighting their focus on prevention and early detection, which he said sets them apart from NHIF, which faced repeated challenges related to fraudulent claims.
“SHA, unlike the defunct NHIF, is effectively detecting fraud. While NHIF faced challenges, SHA aims to strengthen its ability to prevent and detect such cases,” the Deputy President said.
Kindiki added that the new measures under SHA are designed to protect contributors’ funds and ensure resources are used to expand access to healthcare.
He noted that the credibility of SHA depends on its ability to close loopholes that were previously exploited under NHIF.
The Deputy President has previously emphasised the government’s commitment to restoring public trust in healthcare financing and assured Kenyans that lessons had been learned from the shortcomings of the previous scheme.
The Social Health Authority, which took over from NHIF, is implementing the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) as part of broad health sector reforms.
The fund is expected to play a central role in achieving universal health coverage by pooling contributions and providing affordable treatment.
Kindiki’s remarks come amid mixed reactions to the reforms.
Supporters argue that SHA’s fraud detection systems could save billions of shillings, while critics have raised concerns that implementation challenges could affect the initiative’s success.
The Deputy President’s comments follow statements by Health CS Aden Duale, who reiterated the government’s determination to implement reforms in the healthcare sector.
Speaking on Monday, Duale dismissed criticism of SHA, describing some of it as attempts to undermine the government’s healthcare agenda.
He said that efforts to implement reforms would continue despite opposition.
“No amount of criticism will deter us from improving our healthcare system. We are committed to this work and will continue regardless of any challenges,” Duale said, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to ensuring all Kenyans have access to quality, affordable, and dignified healthcare.
