Ruto Vows to Overcome SHA Hurdles, Amid Criticism Over High Taxes and Unmet Campaign Promises » Capital News

NAIROBI Kenya, Nov 19 – President William Ruto has expressed confidence in successfully implementing the Social Health Authority (SHA), vowing to overcome challenges that have hindered the rollout of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the past.

Speaking on Tuesday during the signing of Ministerial performance contracts, Ruto emphasized that previous administrations had failed to tackle the National Health Insurance Fund’s (NHIF) mounting debts, but he is committed to rectifying the situation.

“We have decided that this time round, we must get it right and ensure every citizen, regardless of their status, can access the highest level of treatment in Kenya,” Ruto said. He acknowledged the challenges facing SHA but stressed that addressing the NHIF debt was critical for long-term health system improvement.

He spoke amid mounting criticism from Kenyans and mainstream churches, who have accused him and his government of taking Kenyans for a ride with high taxes while failing to fulfil campaign promises.

Despite these challenges, Ruto assured that the initiative would succeed and reaffirmed his belief in Kenya’s potential. “This country will not fail, it will succeed, and the enemies of Kenya will be put to shame,” he declared.

The rollout of SHA continues to face significant hurdles, with some healthcare providers forced to treat patients as cash-paying clients, leading to higher out-of-pocket costs for Kenyans. The Council of Governors has also raised concerns, citing a lack of funding from the national government and threatening to halt the SHA program in counties.

The COG chairperson, Ahmed Abdullahi, highlighted that without financial support, crucial services like community health volunteers (CHVs) payments and staff salaries would remain unmet, further stalling SHA’s progress.

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