Nairobi: Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has called on Garissa residents to register for the Social Health Authority (SHA) in large numbers to avoid being denied access to medical services. Currently, only 150,468 Kenyans in Garissa have registered with SHA, translating to only 16.7 per cent of the population.
According to Kenya News Agency, speaking during a free medical camp event in Garissa where officials had also set SHA registration desks, Duale said that the Universal Healthcare Program is working and urged Kenyans to ignore those opposing the medical cover. At the same time, the CS defended the SHA partial payment for hospital bills noting that sharing a larger medical cost burden should be a big deal for the patients.
Duale highlighted the benefits of SHA, stating, "If you take a mother to deliver at the Garissa Referral Hospital or even in the private hospitals and you have registered with SHA, you will be charged zero shilling and SHA will pay Shs 30,000. If you have subscribed to SHA and you have a patient admitted in ICU, we will be paying Sh28,000 every day. SHA is also paying Sh550,000 for cancer patients per year."
The CS further emphasized the effectiveness of the Universal Healthcare Program by mentioning that 23.6 million Kenyans have registered, with a goal to cover 100 per cent of the population. He also warned hospitals against misleading patients about the functionality of the SHA system or requesting cash payments under false pretenses.
During the event, Duale presided over the launch of the Health Facility Digitization program and witnessed the formal digitization of Garissa's public health facilities under the TaifaCare program aimed at expanding access to health protection. The newly established Health Information Exchange system will facilitate easier access to health records nationwide, capturing both patient and provider data to support continuity of care.
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Garissa County government, distributed 1,011 tablets for use in public health facilities across the county under the national digitization programme. These tablets are preloaded with specialised health applications linked to the TaifaCare platform, enabling real-time data collection, patient referrals, and treatment tracking.
SHA CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi reiterated the organization's mission to ensure that every Kenyan, regardless of their location or economic status, can access health services without financial hardships. "Our work in Garissa today reflects our commitment to an equitable health system, and we remain focused on reaching every community," Dr. Mwangangi said.
The event was attended by other notable leaders, including Garissa governor Nathif Jama, MPs Dekow Mohamed (Township), Salah Yakub (Fafi), Sheikh Abdi (Ijara), Umulkheir Harun (nominated), Senator Abdul Haji, MoH Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth, and Garissa acting county commissioner Sebastian Okiring.