JOOTRH LEVEL 6, Kisumu July 16 –Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Hon Aden Duale has officially launched the Social Health Authority (SHA) and TaifaCare.
This collaboration between the Ministry of Health, and Kisumu County government aims to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) in Kenya.
Making remarks at the event, CS Duale reaffirmed the government’s dedication to ensuring equitable, affordable, and transparent healthcare for all Kenyans.
“With TaifaCare, no citizen will be left behind due to financial constraints. The introduction of various funds such as the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and the Primary Health Care Fund is critical for effective service coverage,” he stated at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Level Six National Corporation.
CS Duale handed 1,112 tablets and 220 desktops to health workers in Kisumu.
“In a decade, alongside internet connectivity and power banks, the tablets will be used to support 597,634 residents already registered in the SHA, part of a total population of 1,155,574.”
Notably, 200,337 individuals in the county have undergone means testing, with contributions averaging at Sh 523.
The lakeside county has 397 healthcare facilities, of which 192 are transacting with SHA.
On his part, Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o expressed enthusiasm over the initiative, while emphasising his administration’s readiness and strong foundational work in digital health transformation.
“Kisumu has not waited for reform, we have led it. Our systems are ready, our people are prepared, and our partners are aligned,” he assured.
The County boss further articulated the ongoing commitment to bringing healthcare closer to the people, starting from the household level.
“SHA and TaifaCare are crucial in fulfilling that promise,” Nyong’o added.
The rollout in Kisumu represents a phased national implementation of SHA and TaifaCare, which are core components of the Kenya Kwanza government’s mission for universal health coverage.
SHA Performance
With 175,700 hospital visits recorded, a total of Sh3.7 billion in claims have been approved, benefiting the county with Sh165 million under the primary healthcare framework.
Additionally, SHA CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi remarked that the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA signifies a complete overhaul of health financing in Kenya.
“TaifaCare is not just a programme; it’s a unified national scheme providing comprehensive coverage for all Kenyans, from preventive care to chronic disease management,” she said.
Dr. Mwangangi noted that over 200,000 households in Kisumu have registered under the new system and emphasised ensuring that no one, particularly vulnerable populations, is left behind.
Integrated System
The innovative ‘Lipa SHA Pole Pole’ model, allowing households to pay their contributions in manageable instalments, was also introduced.
The technological backbone of the new system, powered by the Digital Health Authority, stressed the importance of digitisation in enhancing efficiency, accountability, and service equity.
“Every step of the healthcare journey — from registration to claims processing — is now digitised,” stated DHA CEO Eng. Antony Lenaiyara.
“Our integrated systems, including biometric tools and digital medical records, are designed to ensure comprehensive tracking of care and eliminate fraud,” he added.
Furthermore, DHA’s real-time dashboards are equipped to provide vital data that informs decision-making across Kisumu and other counties.
In a related exercise at the health facility, CS Duale launched and commissioned a 128-slice CT Scan, a Mammogram machine and a new Lift at JOOTRH.
To provide specialised care to cancer patients, he pledged to fund the ongoing construction of the new JOOTRH Cancer Centre at a tune of Sh0.5 billion.
Pharmaceuticals Crackdown
CS Duale decried the dubious claims which are made by some health facilities.
“To improve healthcare services, it is essential to increase your bed capacity if it is currently limited. We will be closing an additional 1,000 clinics, in addition to the 1,000 that have already been shut down across the country,” Duale stated while announcing new regulations on bed capacity.
A similar crackdown will be undertaken against unlicensed pharmaceuticals which sell medical drugs.
“Only certified drugs by the Pharmacy and Poison will be prescribed in all health facilities across the country,” he stressed.
Accompanying CS Duale were PS Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga, Director General of Health Dr Patrick Amoth, Dr Joshua Oron (Kisumu Central MP), SHA CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi and Digital Health Authority (DHA) CEO Eng. Antony Lenaiyara, CECM Medical Services and Public Health, Dr. Gregory Ganda, among others.
