Kenyans Given 90 Days For Mandatory Registration Of Social Health Insurance Fund
Starting January 2024, every Kenyan citizen must enroll in the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
As per the provisions of the Social Health Insurance (SHI) Act of 2023, all individuals living in Kenya are required to undergo registration.
This is to guarantee that citizens can avail themselves of healthcare services within the nation as stipulated by the legislation.
“Within ninety days upon the coming into force of these Regulations, every person resident in Kenya shall apply for registration to the Authority as a member of the Social Health Insurance Fund,” the Act reads in part.
On Friday, January 19, the government obtained relief as the Court of Appeal lifted the High Court orders preventing the enforcement of the Act.
With approval from the Ministry of Health, SHIF is set to substitute the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
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In contrast to SHIF, which is designed to include all Kenyans, there was no obligatory enrollment for non-salaried individuals in NHIF.
On Sunday, January 21, President William Ruto stated that the government would cover the monthly contributions for Kenyans in disadvantaged households.
On Monday, Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana discussed in a media interview the reasons behind the government’s inability to compensate unregistered Kenyan citizens.
“Even if you say you are not going to be able to raise any money, the requirement is that you should be registered for practical reasons,” he stated.
“If the community health providers say you are a person of very low means and you cannot pay, the government will pay for you. But you still have to register so that we know that you are there.”
Mungatana commented that this would enable the government to track the number of Kenyan citizens utilizing public health services.
Moreover, it will enable the Ministry of Health to strategize for pharmaceuticals and healthcare personnel allocation by the documented population.
Kenyans Given 90 Days For Mandatory Registration Of Social Health Insurance Fund