Residents of Garissa lining up to be registered under the SHA programme./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has a word with Garissa Governor Nathif Jama./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale during the official
launch of Social Health Authority (SHA) onboarding and Digital Health Transformation. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has defended the rollout of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), dismissing claims by the opposition that the initiative has failed.
Speaking in Garissa on Friday during the launch of Social Health Authority (SHA) onboarding and Digital Health Transformation, Duale said UHC is delivering real results across the country.
“We are telling the naysayers that we have practical evidence that universal healthcare is working. This is not just rhetoric—Kenyans themselves can attest to it,” he said.
Duale called UHC a game changer in promoting equity, reducing poverty, and fostering inclusive growth.
He emphasized that access to affordable, quality healthcare is a right for all, not a privilege for a few.
“UHC is not just a moral imperative—it’s a critical investment in the country’s health and economic future,” he added.
Duale urged Garissa residents who have not yet enrolled in SHA to register immediately, saying the benefits were clear.
According to the local SHA office, 150,468 people have registered in Garissa County, with Garissa Township leading in enrollment.
Duale asked county officials to work closely with MPs from sub-counties that still show low registration rates to improve coverage.
He also appealed to religious leaders to use mosques and churches to encourage registration and instructed the county commissioner to ensure chiefs are assigned specific targets to boost numbers.
“So far, 23.6 million Kenyans have registered with SHA voluntarily, knowing the value of this programme. I urge Garissa residents to do the same,” said Duale.
On HIV/AIDS, Duale acknowledged that the county’s infection and suppression rates were improving but warned that more must be done, especially among young people.
“We must keep working until we get to zero new infections. That will only happen if all stakeholders stay engaged,” he said.
Garissa Governor Nathif Jama hailed the digital SHA platform as a critical step toward improving service delivery, saying the integration into the national digital health system will bring more efficient, coordinated healthcare.
“It’s unfortunate that our county is lagging in SHA registration. We shouldn’t be where we are,” Jama said. “But in the coming weeks, we aim to turn things around.”
Members of Parliament echoed his concerns, calling for increased efforts to raise awareness and enrollment across the county.
“We are asking the governor to organize a health caravan to reach every sub-county. We are ready to support it so our people can benefit from UHC,” said Fafi MP Salah Yakub.
