SHA enrollment hits 32.2 million but only 5 million pay premiums

While 32.2 million Kenyans have registered as members of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), a significant gap exists in active participation, with only 5 million currently paying their premiums. Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Susan Nakhumicha Duale highlighted these figures, underscoring the challenge of ensuring consistent contributions to the national health insurance scheme.

The registration numbers indicate widespread awareness and enrollment in the NHIF, a critical step towards achieving universal health coverage. However, the low number of active payers raises concerns about the sustainability of the fund and its ability to adequately cover healthcare costs for all registered members.

Despite the national challenge, Mombasa County stands out as a leader in NHIF registration, having successfully achieved an impressive 80 percent registration rate. This regional success offers a potential model for other counties seeking to boost both registration and premium payments within their jurisdictions.

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32.2 million Kenyans are SHA registered members, with Mombasa leading in registration, having achieved an 80 per cent registration rate.