Govt petitioned to include assistive devices in SHA cover
By Kenneth Mwenda, March 10, 2026Over 900 Kenyans, including people with disabilities, advocates, and allies, delivered a strong message to the Social Health Authority (SHA).
They called on the agency to include assistive devices in its benefits package during the mandatory two-year review, according to a petition shared on Amnesty International’s X account on March 10, 2026.
The petition, supported by groups such as Amnesty International Kenya, the United Disabled Persons of Kenya (UDPK), the Kenya Society for the Blind (KSB), and the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK), highlights a major gap in the current system.
SHA does not cover essential items such as prosthetic limbs, orthotics, wheelchairs, hearing aids, crutches, or other mobility and rehabilitation products.
“This exclusion places an unbearable financial burden on persons with disabilities and their families,” the petition states.
A single prosthetic limb can cost several months or even years of household income. Children require new paediatric devices as they grow, while wheelchairs and orthotics need regular maintenance and repairs. Without coverage, families often sell land or other assets to cope.
The impact goes beyond money. Children miss school because they cannot travel long distances or enter classrooms without proper support. Breadwinners lose jobs due to limited mobility. Preventable problems, such as pressure sores, spinal deformities, and joint damage, become common.
“Dependency replaces independence, undermining dignity and full participation in society,” the petition adds.
Exclusion denies health access
The petition emphasises that excluding assistive devices from SHA effectively excludes many people with disabilities from meaningful access to healthcare, education, employment, and public life. Contributors also face an unfair situation.
Every Kenyan pays mandatory contributions to SHA, yet someone who becomes disabled through a road accident, illness, or injury may receive no help with an assistive device despite years of payments. The petition questions the fairness and equity of the current system.
The groups submitted the petition formally to the SHA Health Benefits and Tariffs Advisory Panel, SHA leadership, and the Ministry of Health. They urge officials to act quickly.
“We therefore call on the Social Health Authority and the Ministry of Health to ensure that assistive devices are fully integrated into the SHA benefits package so that no Kenyan is left behind,” the statement declares.