President William Ruto has defended the Social Health Authority (SHA), urging Kenyans and public servants to view the scheme as a long-term investment despite mounting criticism and threats of withdrawal from civil servants.

Speaking on Monday, April 27, 2026, during the World Health Summit Regional Meeting in Nairobi, the President acknowledged concerns about the rollout of the health scheme but insisted that the country must stay the course to achieve sustainable healthcare financing.

“Our services have not changed much, but we just realised this is not a cost but an investment, and it is important for us to invest. The difference is like day and night today,” Ruto said.

He emphasised that difficult policy choices are necessary to secure the future of Kenya’s healthcare system, particularly through domestic resource mobilisation.

“Some decisions have to be made, and the sooner we realise that it is our responsibility to raise especially domestic resources to fund our health, the better for all of us,” he added.

Ruto’s remarks come at a time when the SHA, launched in 2024 as a cornerstone of Kenya’s push toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), is facing increasing resistance. What was once presented as a transformative reform is now under pressure from unions threatening strikes, legal action, and even mass withdrawal from the scheme.

SHA quagmire?

Civil servants, especially teachers, have voiced growing frustration, arguing that the previous medical cover system, though imperfect, was more predictable and reliable. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has emerged as one of the most vocal critics, warning of industrial action if urgent reforms are not implemented.

Teachers say the SHA scheme has failed to deliver quality healthcare services, citing persistent system failures, delays in accessing treatment, and inefficiencies that have left many stranded when they need care most.

KNUT Kiambu West Secretary General Michael Muna said teachers feel deeply shortchanged by the current arrangement.

“We are getting a raw deal. The anticipation that we had, we are getting a raw deal and the challenges that we have highlighted need to be addressed for these teachers to be contented,” Muna said.

He added that many educators are struggling to justify continued contributions to a system they say does not meet their needs.

“This is unfortunate. When you are paying for two schemes, and you are not benefiting from them, we must tell the world this is not well, much as we would want to pretend. And we don’t want to be hypocritical. We want to call things the way they are,” he said.

The discontent has intensified since December 2025, when teachers were fully integrated into the SHA system. Many report being turned away from hospitals, facing delays in receiving treatment, and incurring out-of-pocket expenses for services that were previously covered under their former scheme.

KNUT has since issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government, demanding immediate action to resolve the issues surrounding SHA.

The union maintains that recent engagements with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders have failed to adequately address the concerns raised by educators.

KNUT Vice Chairman Aggrey Murumba Namisi warned that failure to act within the set timeline could trigger nationwide industrial action.

“We do not want teachers to continue suffering when they are being deducted twice. They are being deducted from the SHA scheme, and Mwalimu covers them. You should let teachers choose the facilities they want to be treated at and not have SHA choose for them,” he said.

“So we are calling upon the government that if you don’t fix it in the next 14 days, we will fix it.”

Despite the growing unrest, the government remains adamant that SHA is critical to achieving equitable healthcare access.

Ruto’s defence signals a firm stance, even as pressure mounts to address operational challenges threatening to derail one of his administration’s flagship reforms.