By Habil Onyango
The National and Homa Bay County Governments have launched a ten-day Rapid Registration Initiative for the Social Health Authority (SHA), aiming to register 1.2 million residents of Homa Bay County.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga reported that only 119,000 residents have registered for SHA, leaving over a million people yet to enrol.
“We urge all residents of Homa Bay to register for SHA, which seeks to create a healthier, more equitable future by providing comprehensive coverage and quality care without financial concerns,” Wanga said.
Homa Bay is one of the counties where the SHA National Sensitisation Programme is underway, with County Commissioners and County Executive Committee Members leading efforts in partnership with the community.
Other counties in the Western and Nyanza regions participating in the sensitisation initiative include Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia, Kisumu, Migori, Kisii, and Nyamira.
Governor Wanga highlighted that the programme will be implemented countywide, including in villages, with support from Community Health Volunteers, Village Elders, County Government employees, and National Government administrators.
“We launched a ten-day rapid registration initiative and awareness campaign with the goal of achieving 100% registration of all 1.2 million Homa Bay residents,” she stated.
“This multi-sectoral collaboration fosters understanding and support to meet SHA’s registration targets, strengthening a healthcare system that alleviates financial burdens on citizens and promotes health equity,” said Wanga.
She affirmed that SHA aims to ensure every resident in Kenya has access to a comprehensive range of quality health services without financial hardship.
As per recent Government statistics, over 13 million Kenyans have registered for SHA since 1 July, marking significant progress towards Kenya’s vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under the Bottom-Up Transformation Agenda.
Since the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA, however, numerous Kenyans have expressed concerns about the new healthcare system, particularly regarding the registration process, access to services, and associated costs.
Governor Wanga, joined by Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan and SHA Director Hazel Koitabai, reassured residents that initial challenges are expected with any new system but will be resolved over time.
Commissioner Lilan explained that a comprehensive government approach is in place to ensure everyone is registered. They have deployed all governmental resources, including teams at the Sub-County and ward levels. “We are involving village elders and Nyumba Kumi structures to partner with the County Government and go door-to-door to meet our target,” he stated.
“We are conducting both sensitisation and registration, and anyone unable to register will be assisted,” he added.
Director Hazel Koitabai noted that Homa Bay is the first county in Kenya to establish a SHA Steering Committee at the county level, showing a committed approach to SHA rollout. She emphasised the importance of residents including dependents in their registration and undergoing means assessment to determine payments and access under SHA.
Koitabai highlighted that 4,760 public and government facilities, 2,498 private facilities, 1,442 faith-based facilities, 17 community facilities, and 86 other healthcare institutions have been enrolled nationally.
Additionally, 55 cancer care providers across various regions have been contracted to support cancer patients, with a further 184 renal care providers for dialysis support.
An employer portal has recorded over 20,000 employers, and the Ministry of Health has allocated KSh9 billion to SHA to settle outstanding healthcare bills incurred before SHA’s rollout. This funding includes KSh1 billion specifically dedicated to the revamped Linda Mama programme.
