By Dorothy Musyoka
The Ministry of Health has issued a notice to employers, outlining the process for registering their employees under the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), set to replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) on October 1, 2024.
This transition is part of the government’s commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), with a registration deadline of September 30, 2024, as required by the Social Health Act 2023.
“Effective 1st October,2024, the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) will be transitioned to the Social Health Authority (SHA).As such, every Kenyan citizen, including dependents, is mandated by law to register as a member of the SHA,” read the notice.
Employers are directed to use the SHA Employer Portal to manage their employees’ contributions. The portal enables employers to register staff and their dependents, make contributions, generate reports, and update employee information.
Employers are urged to ensure timely registration and payment to avoid disruptions in healthcare coverage.
“Ensure all your employees are registered with SHA before 1st October 2024 and kindly adhere to the payment deadlines to avoid any disruptions in healthcare coverage for your employees,” the notice read in part.
The portal will serve four key functions which are: employee and their dependents registration,make SHIF contributions on behalf of employees, generate reports and update employee information.
As of mid-September, Health CS Deborah Barasa announced that over 1.2 million Kenyans had voluntarily registered, emphasizing the importance of completing the registration process ahead of seeking healthcare services.
Existing NHIF members will be transferred to SHIF, but registration remains crucial.
In 2023 the government of Kenya accelerated efforts to realize Universal Health Coverage in line with its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
However these efforts resulted in the enactment of health laws including the Social Health Insurance (SHI) Act 2023 which has seen established of the Social Health Authority (SHA), ushering in a new era of healthcare in Kenya.