Nyeri County leads in SHA registration

 

Nyeri is leading in the ongoing Social Health Authority (SHA) registration exercise.

Although the county is yet to achieve its target, since the rollout of the mass registration, a total of 111,826 people have signed up against a population of 759,164, representing 20.5pc.

According to data from Taifa Care, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Lamu and Embu top the list of five counties with the highest number of people who have signed up for the programme, which is critical for ensuring universal health coverage in the country.

As of the latest update, Kirinyaga has registered 123,600 people out of a target population of 610,411, representing 20.3pc.

Kiambu ranks third with 470,379 registrations out of a target of 2,417,735, at 19.5pc. Lamu follows with 26,275 sign-ups from a target of 143,920, accounting for 18.3pc, while Embu has enrolled 111,133 people out of 608,599, also at 18.3pc.

On the other hand, the counties with the lowest registration figures less than 32,000 people registered are Garissa (20,674 or 2.3pc), Turkana (27,840 or 3pc), Mandera (29,529 or 3.4pc), Wajir (32,087 or 4.1pc), and West Pokot (26,650 or 4.3pc).

The target populations for these counties are 905,000 (Garissa), 926,976 (Turkana), 807,457 (Mandera), 781,263 (Wajir), and 621,241 (West Pokot).

Cumulatively, 14 million Kenyans have registered under the restructured health system, experiencing greater access to quality medical care at no out-of-pocket cost.

The SHA rollout, which began earlier this year, is aimed at enrolling all households into the national health insurance framework.

The national and county governments, as well as local leaders and health officials, have been working together to raise awareness and encourage residents to make use of the registration points set up across the counties.

The new Social Health Authority (SHA), which replaces NHIF provides more accessible and comprehensive health coverage through the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

Health PS Mary Muthoni has emphasized the government’s commitment to delivering quality healthcare services across all facility levels, from community health programs to specialized hospital care.

“SHA’s flexible payment options, allow Kenyans in both formal and informal employment to contribute conveniently through mobile payments or local collection points. This approach ensures more Kenyans can access essential health services” she said during an interview on Coro FM.

“This program is an essential step towards achieving universal health coverage, and continued efforts will be necessary to ensure all eligible individuals are enrolled in the system” she added.

By Margaret Kalekye