Every household in Kenya will contribute 2.75 percent of its monthly income to the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) beginning March this year.

According to Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, all laws and regulations are in place and deductions for the new scheme will begin in earnest.

Speaking in Bungoma County during the launch of a commitment to end the Triple Threat of HIV, teen pregnancies and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, CS Nakhumicha said the government has introduced an Emergency Chronic and Critical Illness Fund that will see Kenyans in level five hospitals receive treatment, paid for by the national government.

SHIF is meant to phase out the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and will scrap the current maximum of 1,700/- shillings contribution, exposing employed Kenyans to higher deductions.

Employed persons will pay 2.75 per cent of their gross salary to the kitty.

At the county level, the executive committee member in charge of finance shall deduct and remit the contributions of employees in the county public service to the authority by the ninth day of each month.

In the new health fund, Kenyans earning a gross salary of 50,000/- shillings, will pay Ksh.1, 375 up from the current 1,200/- while those earning over Ksh.100, 000 will part with Ksh.2, 750 up from Ksh.1, 700.

Those earning Ksh.500, 000 in gross income will pay Ksh.13, 750 up from Ksh.1, 700 and those getting a gross salary of Ksh.1, 000,000 will pay Ksh.27, 500.

CS Nakhumicha said the Kenya Kwanza government is keen on affordable and accessible healthcare for all Kenyans.