Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced that at least 26 million Kenyans have been enrolled under the Social Health Authority (SHA) since the rollout of Taifa Care on October 1, 2024.

Speaking in Ol-Kalou, Nyandarua County, during the launch of the Taifa Care initiative for the region, Duale credited the achievement to the aggressive county-by-county registration drives.

“We must keep this momentum so that no Kenyan is left behind,” Duale said, urging county governments to sustain the campaigns.

He stressed the importance of SHA membership, noting that it is key to enabling Kenyans access affordable, quality healthcare services.

Duale further revealed that the government is planning a major health infrastructure boost in Nyandarua, including upgrading JM Kariuki Memorial Hospital from a Level 4 to Level 5 facility, so that residents can receive specialized treatment locally rather than traveling to neighboring counties. Several sub-county health centers will also be upgraded.

The CS called on Kenyans to separate health matters from politics to allow ongoing reforms to succeed.

“The Kenya Kwanza administration is committed to fixing healthcare delivery. We must shun leaders who politicize health services and give reforms time to work,” he said.

SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi disclosed that the contributory health fund has so far collected KSh 70 billion, a significant rise compared to the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which collected KSh 45 billion in its lifetime.

She added that of the 26 million registered members, 4.8 million are active contributors — including 4 million salaried workers and 890,000 informal sector contributors.