Over 8,000 inmates now enrolled in SHA, says PS
By George Kebaso, May 10, 2025An estimated 8,000 inmates out of a national prison population of about 60,000, have been registered since October 1, 2024, the Correctional Services Department has revealed.
Under the principle that human dignity must never be compromised, the department swung into action immediately the Social Health Authority (SHA) was rolled out, and started registering inmates.
While overseeing a registration drive for inmates at Lang’ata Women’s Prison, Correctional Services Principal Secretary Salome Beacco (pictured) said the move is to affirm a principle that lies at the heart of any just society.
“That every person, including those in custody, are entitled to healthcare, to compassion, and to the opportunity for rehabilitation and reintegration,” she said.
The Nelson Mandela rules, she noted, reminds the society that“all prisoners shall be treated with respect due to their inherent dignity and value as human beings.”
“Prisoners should enjoy the same standards of healthcare that are available in the community,” she added.
Dr Beacco was accompanied by Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga, her Parliamentary Affairs and Immigration and Citizen Services counterparts Aurelia Rono and Belio Kipsang, respectively.
She said that since the rollout of SHA in October 2024, officers from her department have been registering inmates across all counties.
“This has been a pivotal step in delivering on the promise of health for all, a promise that includes those behind bars,” she said.
Dr Oluga assured of the Ministry of Health’s commitment in ensuring that all inmates across the country are registered with SHA.
He emphasised that the initiative will help inmates receive timely healthcare, highlighting that access to affordable quality healthcare is crucial to the bottom-up economic model.
“If you have not registered, you are denying yourself a chance to access health services at any facility across the country,” he added
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