Gachagua criticizes 'rushed and costly' SHA, urges return to NHIF

Gachagua voiced concerns about the program's inefficiencies and exorbitant costs during a TikTok live session on Thursday morning.

He emphasised that, despite their contributions, many Kenyans have been denied access to basic healthcare services.

Gachagua questioned the need for a new healthcare system at a cost of Ksh. 104 billion, arguing that experts had recommended a more cost-effective alternative: revamping the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). 

“According to experts, it was possible to reform and improve NHIF at a cost of about Ksh. 800 million,” he said. 

The former deputy president emphasised that the Kenya Kwanza administration's initial plan was to reduce family healthcare contributions from Ksh. 500 to Ksh. 300 while expanding coverage to include all illnesses, including chronic conditions.

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

He attributed the hasty rollout to conflicts of interest, which, he argued, drove the government to create a new system unnecessarily.

Gachagua also emphasised the financial strain on health facilities, particularly those run by religious organisations like the Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), which are still owed billions of shillings by the government under the previous NHIF system.

 “These hospitals are owed billions, and now we have a new program without addressing what happened to their unpaid dues,” he said, adding that those raising concerns about the arrears are often accused of being critical of the government.

The former deputy president advocated for a return to the NHIF, claiming that the current SHA system has been fraught with issues, rendering healthcare inaccessible to many Kenyans. 

“The government can still revert to NHIF, which had a clear path for reform at a much lower cost,” he asserted.

President William Ruto, however, has continued to champion the SHA program as a cornerstone of his administration’s push for universal health coverage (UHC). 

Ruto recently reiterated the importance of ensuring all Kenyans have access to affordable healthcare, stating, 

“We will have health insurance for all. We cannot continue with a system where only a few can afford treatment, while others are forced to sell their land or cattle to access healthcare.”

Under the SHA framework, UHC is implemented through three funds: the Primary Healthcare Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund. 

Salaried Kenyans contribute 2.75% of their income to SHIF, which is designed to ease the financial burden of medical expenses.