The Social Health Authority (SHA) has upgraded its system to ensure hospital claims are processed by the 14th of each month, marking a major step forward in streamlining healthcare services.
Government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura announced the system upgrade, noting that the move will ease financial burdens on families. He encouraged those who have not yet registered for SHA to do so, to access the full benefits of the Taifa Care program.
As part of the new improvements, SHA has significantly increased the daily rates for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU) services, from sh.4,480 to sh.28,000. Oncology coverage has also been raised to sh.550,000 per patient.
“The government is in the process of rolling out daily payments to support Kenyans in need,” Mwaura added.
He revealed that over 19 million Kenyans have now registered under Taifa Care, up from 8 million under the now-defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF)—a remarkable 146% increase.
“Of these, 331,265 Kenyans have been referred for diabetes treatment, while 711,172 were referred for hypertension checkups,” he noted.
Mwaura also reported that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Wajir County, has deployed three mobile laboratories in Eldas and Wajir West to provide rapid testing and help contain the spread of Kala-azar, particularly in areas with limited access to healthcare facilities.
“The government continues to strengthen resources and coordination efforts to manage the outbreak,” he said.
To further curb the spread of the disease, the government has activated multi-sectoral Rapid Response Teams and stepped up surveillance across all sub-counties and border regions.
“The public is urged to remain vigilant and adhere to all health guidelines,” Mwaura emphasized.