Ruto: SHA Now Covers 32.3 Million Kenyans as Health Reforms Reach New Milestones
By Jeff Kizzilah Digital Editor
President William Ruto has highlighted what he described as significant progress in Kenya’s healthcare transformation, citing expanded health insurance coverage, increased funding to medical facilities and greater access to essential services across the country.
Speaking at the opening of the Kenya Health Summit 2026 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, President Ruto said the numbers demonstrate the scale of reforms undertaken in the health sector over the past three years.
According to the President, 32.3 million Kenyans are now registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), compared with approximately 8 million beneficiaries under the former National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Since October 2024, SHA has received more than KSh209 billion and paid over KSh178 billion to contracted healthcare facilities across all 47 counties. The President said the funding has facilitated treatment for about 8 million citizens.
Through the Primary Health Care Fund, the government has disbursed KSh23.3 billion, supporting more than 20 million outpatient visits and benefiting over 15 million Kenyans. A further KSh17 billion has supported maternal healthcare services, including deliveries.
President Ruto also said SHA has facilitated more than 500,000 surgeries nationwide and provided treatment to more than 50,000 cancer patients, compared with about 7,000 under NHIF.
The number of healthcare facilities covered by SHA has also risen to more than 10,700, according to the President, expanding access to healthcare closer to where Kenyans live and work.
The government has further partnered with county administrations to employ 107,800 Community Health Promoters, who have reached approximately 9 million households, helping identify health risks early and connect families to appropriate treatment.
Under the National Equipment Services Programme, 850 modern medical equipment units worth KSh9.7 billion have been delivered to hospitals in 44 counties that have signed agreements for the equipment. The equipment includes digital X-ray, dialysis and MRI machines, CT scanners and ultrasound equipment.
President Ruto said digitisation has also improved the availability of medicines, with the medicine refill rate at the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) rising to more than 91 per cent, up from 40 per cent three years ago.
He emphasised, however, that the success of the health reforms should not only be measured through statistics but also through the lives and families benefiting from improved healthcare.
“Lives saved, mothers safely delivering their children, patients receiving treatment in time, and communities made healthier and stronger” are the human stories behind the numbers, the President said.
President Ruto reiterated his administration’s commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage, saying healthcare should be treated as a right for every Kenyan rather than a privilege for a few.
The Kenya Health Summit 2026 brought together stakeholders to assess progress made in the health reforms while addressing remaining challenges.
The President also expressed appreciation to county governments, Parliament and development partners for their role in advancing the country’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.
