Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called for the abolishment of the recently launched Social Health Authority (SHA) and called for the return of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). 

Speaking during a live session on TikTok on Thursday, January 23, 2025, the former DP decried that the health scheme was hurriedly implemented without proper planning. 

He went on to state that the initiative, which he labeled as costly, was poorly implemented, negatively impacting Kenyans who channel their contributions in hopes of securing good healthcare services. 

The former Mathira Member of Parliament (MP) wondered why President William Ruto’s administration failed to opt to revamp the NHIF instead of launching a new healthcare system which has continously been marred with controversies over its failures to deliver services to citizens.

He argued that healthcare experts had initially advised the government to revamp the previous system as it was a more cost-effective option rather than spending Ksh104 billion on the new health scheme. 

“The program was good in concept, but the implementation has been very wanting. It was rushed without sufficient consultation with stakeholders,” Gachagua said. 

“Experts said it was possible to reform and improve NHIF at a cost of about Ksh800 million,” Gachagua added. 

Return NHIF

He therefore called for the return of NHIF saying it is more cost-effective to reform unlike SHA which has made healthcare inaccessible to Kenyans due to the growing concerns over its ineffectiveness. 

“The government can still revert to NHIF which had a clear path for reform at a much lower cost,” the former DP insisted. 

Additionally, the outspoken politician weighed in on the financial strain the ineffectiveness of SHA has brought on health facilities. 

Distinctly, Gachagua lamented that facilities run by religious organistions including the Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) were the most affected by the new changes due to the money they owed by the government during the previous health scheme. 

“These hospitals are owed billions and now we have a new program without addressing what happened to their unpaid dues,” he added.