On December 22, 2024, doctors declared support for the Social Health Authority (SHA), telling Kenyans that in the absence of the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), it was the only option available.

Fast forward, yesterday the doctors – under their umbrella body Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) – dismissed the scheme as a scam.

“SHA is not working, let nobody cheat you,” the doctors said in a press conference at the union’s head office.
The medics questioned where the Sh10 billion deducted every month from Kenyans was going. This was a complete turnaround of events when reflecting on the December announcement, three days after a truce brokered by Deputy President, Prof Kithure Kindiki.
Initially, the doctors were the fiercest critics of the SHA scheme.

Ultimatum

The union said roll-out of SHA will result in many workers receiving less healthcare coverage while being forced to contribute more, a situation they termed unfair and untenable for public sector workers who have already sacrificed their medical allowances.

Yesterday, joined by the Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS), the doctors gave the government a two-week ultimatum to resolve the issues once and for all.

“Failure to do so, we will call on all civil servants in both national and county governments to join a series of demonstrations starting on March 18, 2025.

In the new twist, the doctors now want the government to either scrap the whole scheme or come out and tell Kenyans who owns the scheme. “We demand to know where our money is going if not toward paying our medical bills!” he posed.

Dr Atellah pointed out that the Government’s Comprehensive Medical Fund under SHA has left civil servants across the country stranded as they waste valuable time chasing medical services while simultaneously being subjected to cash payment demands for the same.

Frustrating civil servants by denying them their entitlements will not be tolerated, he added, explaining that the comprehensive medical cover was established in 2012 when civil servants forfeited their medical allowance for a medical insurance scheme.

“This policy was terminated with the enactment of the SHA Act, but in November last year, an agreement was signed introducing the Public Officers Medical Fund (POMF) to be managed by SHA.

UKCS Secretary General Tom Odege, criticised SHA’s inefficiency and accused the government of failing to follow through on its promises regarding the scheme, placing more than five million Kenyans are at risk of missing critical medical services.

The unions also accused President William Ruto’s administration of promoting a system that benefits a select few at the expense of the nation’s workers.