Deputy President Kithure Kindiki says the government will expand healthcare provision under SHA to reach the most vulnerable Kenyans in dire need of medical attention.
He spoke on Friday when he hosted over 6,500 Community health Promoters from Meru County at Irunduni, Tharaka Nithi County.
The DP stated that SHA has provided medical coverage for over 26.4 million Kenyans who have already registered for SHA services.
Furthermore, the health reforms instituted by the government have borne fruit, highlighting the accessibility of the SHA services and also the recruitment of 107,000 CHPs who are essential in rolling out primary healthcare and early detection and prevention of diseases in the grassroots.
Kindiki assured that he welcomed the decision to pay monthly contributions for over 1.5 million needy Kenyans.
According to Kindiki, it is the clearest indication of the administration’s interest in protecting Kenyans from preventable and curable diseases.
“The launch today by President William Ruto of the programme in which the Government will start paying premiums for the health insurance of 1.5 million indigent Kenyans is historic and momentous to say the least,” DP said.
He added that the move aims to fulfil the constitutional provision which calls for access to better healthcare for all Kenyans without discriminating against them because of their economic status.
“The Government is under obligation to provide resources, policies, and programmes to ensure that every Kenyan attains the highest standard of health possible,” he stated.
He confirmed that the government targets 30 million enrollment by December, 45 million by the end of 2026 and 55 million by the end of 2027.
“The Community Health Promoters are the engine of Taifa Care’s success. They are mobilising enrollment and carrying out home-to-home visits to promote healthy lifestyles across the length and breadth of our nation,” he noted.
The DP said the Government will continue to provide the requisite support and equipment for the CHPs to perform their duties effectively.
“For health services to be truly universal, for every part of Kenya to access medical care, we need the Community Health Promoters to be available in every village, so that even the person without ability can be visited by a health worker at their home and assisted to prevent some of the diseases that have been disturbing our people,” DP affirmed.
The Deputy President added that hospitals at levels 3, 4, and 5 are being modernised to ensure that referrals made by CHPs lead to proper treatment.
He also noted that the supply of medicines and diagnostic equipment is being improved across the country.
Prof. Kindiki said the government’s move to digitise medical records is part of reforms to safeguard public resources.
“We are digitising medical data to make it impossible for fraud, and if you attempt fraud, it will be detected at the source and rejected,” he warned.
He stressed that CHPs remain a vital link between communities and the health system.
“When history is written, the story of the Community Health Promoters of Kenya will have a place in the history of the transformation of our health system,” he remarked.
