kindiki pledges to push sha registration to every kenyan

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that every Kenyan is registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), as the administration steps up efforts to expand universal healthcare coverage.

Kindiki said the government will maintain its nationwide registration drive until the target of reaching all Kenyans is achieved. His remarks come as SHA membership continues to grow, with more than 32 million Kenyans now registered.

The Deputy President said the government is targeting 40 million SHA registrations by the end of 2026, with the remaining population expected to be brought into the programme in the months that follow.

He linked the registration campaign to the government’s wider push to make healthcare more accessible and affordable, saying increased enrolment would allow more Kenyans to benefit from the country’s evolving universal healthcare system.

Kindiki also highlighted investments being made to strengthen healthcare delivery, including the supply of specialised medical equipment to public health facilities. Through the National Equipment Service Programme, equipment valued at approximately KSh9.8 billion has been delivered to 239 facilities across 44 counties.

The Deputy President further pointed to the growing number of medical procedures and cancer-care services being supported through government health financing programmes as evidence of the reforms being implemented in the sector.

The government has also been working to improve the availability of medicines and medical supplies through the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency, alongside measures aimed at strengthening the healthcare workforce.

Kindiki maintained that achieving universal registration under SHA remains a priority for the administration, with the government seeking to ensure that no Kenyan is left outside the national health coverage system.

His remarks come amid renewed government focus on healthcare reforms, following President William Ruto’s announcement that SHA enrolment had reached 32.3 million people. Ruto said the figure represented a major expansion compared with the approximately eight million people registered under the former National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).