Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced that the government is working to expand healthcare under the Social Health Authority (SHA), intending to enroll 55 million Kenyans in Taifa Care by 2027.
Speaking in Irunduni, Tharaka Nithi County, where he hosted more than 6,500 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) from Meru, Kindiki praised the government’s commitment to supporting the most vulnerable. He highlighted President William Ruto’s launch of a programme covering premiums for 1.5 million needy Kenyans. “The launch today (Friday) by President William Ruto of the programme in which the Government will start paying premiums for the health insurance of 1.5 million indigent Kenyans is historic and momentous to say the least,” he said.
How many Kenyans are already covered?
According to Kindiki, more than 26.4 million Kenyans have already registered for SHA services. The government is targeting 30 million by December 2025, 45 million by the end of 2026, and 55 million by 2027. To support this rollout, 107,000 CHPs have been recruited to handle primary healthcare, prevention, and early disease detection.
What role do CHPs play in Taifa Care?
Kindiki described CHPs as “the engine of Taifa Care’s success,” noting their role in mobilizing enrollment and conducting home visits to promote healthy lifestyles. “For health services to be truly universal, for every part of Kenya to access medical care, we need the Community Health Promoters to be available in every village,” he explained.
What reforms are underway in healthcare?
The Deputy President outlined several reforms, including the modernization of level 3, 4, and 5 hospitals, improved medical supplies, and the digitization of patient records to curb fraud. “We are digitizing medical data to make it impossible for fraud, and if you attempt fraud, it will be detected at the source and rejected,” he warned.
Kindiki concluded by praising CHPs as a cornerstone of Kenya’s health transformation. “When history is written, the story of the Community Health Promoters of Kenya will have a place in the history of the transformation of our health system,” he remarked.
By Lucky Anyanje