‘Ile kazi Taifa Care imefanya imeonekana’ – Ruto defends SHA amid rising criticism

President William Ruto has continued to defend his government’s Universal Health Coverage programme, popularly known as the Social Health Authority (SHA).

While explaining the need to ditch the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) for SHA, the president highlighted why the former could not help in the realisation of needs now covered by the new programme.

SHA and its implementation have been widely criticized, but Ruto stressed that the programme is working without much challenge.

“Mimi nimekuja hapa vile vile kwa sababu tulikubaliana na nyinyi ya kwamba programme ya kuhakikisha ya kwamba wananchi wanapata bima ya afya.

“Pale mbeleni, NHIF ilikuwa inafaidi watu wenye wako na kazi na watu ambao wana uwezo. Lakini niwaulize watu wa Uasin Gishu, wale wako na kazi na uwezo pekee yao ndio wanakuwa wagonjwa? Si kila mtu anakuwa mgonjwa?

“Si hata mtu yule ambaye hana mali anakuwa mgonjwa? Ndio, tukasema tutabadilisha mfumo wa afya Kenya iwache kufungia watu wengine nje kwa sababu hawana uwezo ama hawana kazi.

“Na ndio tumeweka programme hii ya Universal Health Coverage ya Taifa Care ambayo kila mwananchi sasa ako na uwezo wa kujisaijili. Ni lazima kila mwananchi ujisajili ndio tukuweke kwenye mpango ya afya,” Ruto said while addressing members of the public on his development tour of Uasin Gishu County on Friday, January 10, 2025.

The Head of State said every Kenyan that falls sick is guaranteed coverage by SHA and that now no one will sell their property in order to pay for hospital services.

“Tuhakikishe kwamba kila mwananchi anapokuwa mgonjwa aende hospitali atibiwe na asiuze mali yake, asiuze shamba yake, ama ng’ombe wake. Bima ya afya inayosimamiwa na serikali ya Kenya iweze kumlipia gharama ya afya.

“Na hio programme inasonga, saa hizi nikiongea na nyinyi wananchi milioni kumi na saba na laki nne wamejisajili. Nyinyi watu wa Uasin Gishu mumejisajili ama bado mnangojea,” he added.

Registration

He urged Kenyans to register for SHA because, according to him, it is working and everyone is guaranteed coverage.

“Sasa mimi ninataka niwaambie tayari wale walikuwa na tashwishi kama hio programme yetu ya Taifa Care itafanya kazi, ushuhuda ya ile kazi Taifa Care imefanya imeonenakana katika Kenya hii.

“Na mimi nataka nishukuru counties, nishukuru wananchi wote, community health promoters pale chini sasa tunaendelea na wao na hata wengine waako hapa. Community health promoters wanatusaidia kuhamasisha wanachi ndio tuhakikishe bima ya afya ambayo itafaidi Wakenya wote, wakiwemo watoto wetu, wale wako nyumbani, wale wa shule ya chekechea, wale wa primary schools, wale wa secondary schools, na wale wa university; kila atakuwa katika hio mpango,” he concluded.

SHA implementation has faced challenges and criticism, with some claiming there was no need to replace NHIF with the current programme.