Garissa: The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) Garissa branch has refuted claims that some of their religious leaders in the county have been opposing the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) over allegations that it accumulates interest. The branch Chairperson Sheikh Hassan Abdi stated that none of their religious leaders have condemned the Social Health Assurance (SHA) program. He emphasized that Islamic scholars have affirmed that public schemes designed to prevent harm and serve societal needs align with the concept of Maslaha.
According to Kenya News Agency, Abdi explained that SHA is permissible under Islamic law because it is a state-managed, non-profit initiative aimed solely at protecting lives-a fundamental tenet of their faith. He remarked, "SHA is a health intervention and Islam welcomes any intervention that helps the community. Islam promotes and protects human life. Social or cooperative insurance schemes like the SHA are generally viewed as halal."
Earlier in the week, Garissa county commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo cautioned religious leaders about opposing SHA, highlighting the importance of the health insurance fund. Garissa remains one of the counties with low registration numbers, with only 167,900 individuals registered for the health cover so far.