Only 1 in 6 SHA members actively contributing despite 32m registration
SHA chief executive officer Mercy Mwangangi told the committee that 32,180,494 Kenyans had registered with the Authority as of July 31, 2026, equivalent to 67.7 per cent of the national population.
NAIROBI, Kenya - Despite 32 million Kenyans enrolling in the Social Health Authority (SHA) by July 31, 2026, only about five million are actively contributing, according to the Health Committee's recent assessment. SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi revealed that the 67.7% registration rate translates to only 15.5% of registered members actually paying for health insurance.
This discrepancy has prompted MPs to push for measures that convert inactive registrants into active contributors to ensure the sustainability of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) reforms. SHA officials acknowledged the challenge, emphasizing that registration alone is not sufficient; they are developing flexible contribution arrangements to cater to Kenyans with fluctuating incomes, particularly those in the informal sector.
The committee also urged SHA to collaborate with local leaders and county governments to raise awareness about the importance of health insurance contributions.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
