By:Robert Mutasi
The government has defended the gains made under the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda, even as it acknowledged persistent challenges including fraud and illegal charging of patients in health facilities.
Two years into the country’s health reforms, the Ministry of Health says 32.2 million Kenyans are now registered under the Social Health Authority, a milestone that Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale says demonstrates growing public trust in the new system.
Speaking during a media town hall in Nairobi ahead of the Kenya Health Summit 2026, Duale said the government has put in place mechanisms to strengthen oversight, detect fraudulent activity and recover public funds.
Addressing concerns over alleged continued charging of patients for services that are supposed to be free under primary healthcare, the CS was categorical that it is illegal.
“Even in this financial year, the government has put a budget of 19 billion to treat Kenyans who go to dispensaries, health facilities to some parts of Level 4. You charge a Kenyan, it’s a criminal offence,” Duale said.
Health Authority CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi singled out fraud as a major concern, with fingers pointing at both rogue health workers and health facilities as the main culprits. She narrated a recent incident involving a top private hospital in the country.
“Last week we had one of the premier facilities, a private facility that is probably the number one facility in this country come in to tell me that a lady who is a civil servant had brought her sister using her benefits and had admitted her sister. That’s fraud by Kenyans,” Mwangangi said.
Mwangangi said SHA has strengthened its digital systems to flag suspicious claims and that over Sh200 million has so far been recovered from fraudulent claims.
The forum also addressed questions on whether the contributory component of the scheme can remain financially sustainable, especially with low compliance among informal sector workers. The government confirmed plans to enlist more contributors through innovative models, including deployment of SHA agents.
On the ongoing healthcare workers’ unrest, Duale said the government is committed to addressing issues affecting all cadres progressively.
“Every issue around the healthcare workers and healthcare professionals is going to be bit by bit, whether it is at the county level or the national level, because we do not have a patient for counties and a patient for the national level,” he said.
Principal Secretary for Public Health Mary Muthoni added that public health preparedness is being strengthened through enhanced disease surveillance, warning that changing disease patterns and regional outbreaks continue to pose a threat.
The forum, which brought together senior Ministry of Health officials, development partners, CEOs of State corporations and journalists, was a precursor to the Kenya Health Summit 2026 scheduled for 18th and 19th of August at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) under the theme “Reforms Delivered, Health as a Right.”
The Summit is expected to review progress made under the Taifa Care Model and chart the next phase of Kenya’s journey to Universal Health Coverage.