Health CS Nakumicha Susan has unveiled the timeline for the commencement of registration for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) following a forthcoming national launch. The announcement was made during her recent visit to Nairobi County hospitals on March 19, where she emphasized that President William Ruto would lead the national launch and officially kickstart the registration process.
Health CS Nakumicha speaks on SHIF
During the tour, CS Nakumicha highlighted the government’s commitment to deploying robust communication strategies to ensure that every Kenyan is informed and included in the registration exercise. She emphasized that no one would be left behind in this critical initiative aimed at expanding healthcare coverage across the nation.
The initial plans had set the start of the mandatory registration for SHIF at the beginning of the month. However, with the upcoming national launch led by President Ruto, the exact date for registration to commence is yet to be disclosed. It is anticipated that the launch will take place in the coming days, following which the three-month registration period will officially begin.
CS Nakhumicha also assured Kenyans of a seamless transition during this process, emphasizing that access to healthcare services would continue uninterrupted. She acknowledged the existing outstanding bills owed to hospitals nationwide and announced that the Treasury would release Ksh1 billion to settle these outstanding payments owed by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
While Kenyans are encouraged to continue using NHIF until the SHIF benefits are fully rolled out in July, preparations are underway for the implementation of salary deductions for SHIF contributions starting this month. Employed individuals will contribute 2.75% of their gross pay towards SHIF, with a similar standard applied to households in the informal sector.
Additionally, unemployed Kenyans aged 25 and above will be required to make monthly contributions of Ksh300 towards SHIF, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to access comprehensive healthcare coverage under the new insurance scheme.
