Actualise UHC dream to save poor people dying from treatable diseases

Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa and Director General of Health Patrick Amoth address the Press at SHA Building in Upper Hill, Nairobi, on March 5, 2025. [Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

The point of divergence between ordinary Kenyans and President William Ruto on Social Health Authority (SHA) is that while they are concerned about dysfunctionality in SHA, Ruto is fixated on fighting ghosts that haunted the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).

NHIF had inherent weaknesses that turned it into a cash cow, especially for private hospitals. A little political goodwill would have made things better, but there was none. In the end, NHIF failed to respond to the needs of its members and to promote the ideals of Universal Health Care (UHC), which are access to affordable, sustainable, equitable and quality social healthcare.