The Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral, and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) has begun implementing the newly launched Social Health Authority (SHA).
SHA, an initiative by the Ministry of Health, aims to reduce healthcare costs and promote universal health coverage nationwide.
KUTRRH CEO Ahmed Dagane announced that the hospital has established a desk to assist patients with insurance registration.
“During a recent management walkthrough, the team assessed SHA’s implementation across all service areas, helping patients register and ensuring a smooth transition to the new system,” he stated.
According to Dagane, the hospital has already seen significant benefits under SHA, especially in critical departments such as Endoscopy, Renal, and Chemotherapy. On Tuesday, the hospital covered bills for 61 chemotherapy patients, 39 dialysis patients, and 10 Endoscopy patients, among others, through the new scheme.
KUTRRH has also set up Help Desks at all Customer Care Units to guide patients through the SHA registration process.
“These efforts aim to provide a seamless experience for all clients as we work to improve access to affordable healthcare,” he said.
The hospital remains committed to addressing any challenges that arise during the rollout on a case-by-case basis, emphasizing that SHA represents a significant step toward quality, patient-centered care.
Dagane encouraged all Kenyans to register for SHA in large numbers to take advantage of the opportunity to reduce healthcare costs and ensure access to essential medical services.
“KUTRRH assures the public that no patient will be denied healthcare services at our facility as we continue to provide advanced, quality care,” he added.
The Ministry of Health launched SHA on October 1, and the scheme has surpassed 12.5 million registrations, a notable achievement despite initial skepticism. On Tuesday alone, nearly 400,000 new registrations were recorded, bringing the total to 12,540,117 subscribers.
During the rollout, PS for Health Mary Muthoni assured Kenyans that contributions made to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) would be safely transferred to SHA. “No money will be lost; it will roll into SHA,” she confirmed.
As part of the transition, many people have received messages notifying them of the changes: “Your NHIF account has been migrated successfully to the Social Health Authority. To update your profile, dial *147#, visit sha.go.ke, or go to any authorized SHA agent.”
