Susan Nakhumicha, Health Cabinet Secretary, launched the new Social Health Authority (SHA) Board today, Monday 27th November 2023, signaling a fundamental shift in the country’s approach to healthcare. The SHA Board, which comprises PS Harry Kimtai, a PS Treasury representative, Acting Health Director General Patrick Amoth, Francis Atwoli, Zakayo Kariuki, and Jacinta Mutegi, was constituted by gazette notice on November 22.

The inauguration of the SHA Board comes after the cabinet proposed the scrapping of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the subsequent passing of four bills in parliament, which were signed into law by President William Ruto. The new legislation replaces NHIF with three distinct funds: The Primary Healthcare Fund, Social Health Insurance and Emergency Fund, and the Chronic and Critical Illness Fund.

The establishment of the SHA Board is expected to have a profound impact on Kenyans, as it will oversee the implementation of these funds and steer health-related policies and initiatives. This move signifies a fundamental shift towards an inclusive approach to healthcare, with the aim of enhancing access to quality healthcare, making it more efficient, affordable, and free from discrimination.

The importance of the SHA Board cannot be overstated, as it provides the necessary legal and institutional framework for the successful rollout of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya.