Teachers under the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) have warned that they may down their tools if the problems facing the Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover are not fixed.

The teachers say the scheme has failed to deliver proper medical services, citing system failures, delays in treatment, and inefficiencies that have left many unable to access healthcare. They now caution that the situation could trigger a nationwide strike if no urgent action is taken.

Speaking on behalf of KNUT Kiambu West, Secretary General Michael Muna said teachers feel shortchanged by the current arrangement.

“We are getting a raw deal. The anticipation that we had, we are getting a raw deal and the challenges that we have highlighted need to be addressed for these teachers to be contented,” Muna said.

He added that many teachers are struggling to understand why they are paying for a scheme that does not fully serve them.

“This is unfortunate. When you are paying two schemes and you are not benefiting from it, we must tell the world this is not well, much as we would want to pretend. And we don’t want to be hypocritical. We want to call things the way they are,” he said.

Teachers say the problems have become worse since their full integration into SHA in December 2025. Many report being turned away from hospitals, delayed treatment, and rising out-of-pocket costs for basic services that were previously covered.

Rising pressure on SHA

The complaints mirror wider concerns raised by other public sector unions. Civil servants have also protested recent SHA changes, including a reported cap of Ksh2,500 on outpatient services, which they say leaves them effectively uninsured.

Union leaders argue that the reforms were introduced without proper consultation and have weakened medical cover for public officers.

The issue has also attracted political attention. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged teachers to reject the current scheme and push for a return to private insurance.

“Many teachers have talked to me. I encourage them to demand from the union leaders the immediate exit from SHA, and they go back to a private insurance that can take care of our teachers,” Gachagua said during a recent meeting in Kiambu.

He claimed that the current cover has failed to meet basic needs, including hospital access and burial benefits that existed under previous arrangements.

Teachers, however, say their focus remains on access to reliable healthcare. KNUT and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) have both warned that they could call for industrial action if the situation does not improve.

Stephen Langat of KUPPET said the current system has created frustration among educators across the country.

“Failure to do so, we will go to the streets and paralyse learning,” he warned.

As pressure builds, teachers say they are waiting for clear government action to restore confidence in the medical scheme. Without that, they insist, a strike remains on the table.