Bottom 10 counties in SHA uptake

The transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA) remains a critical pillar of Kenya's universal health coverage agenda.

However, recent data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2026 Economic Survey highlights significant disparities in regional registration.

While national enrollment continues, a cluster of ten counties—predominantly in the Frontier Districts and Coastal regions—is lagging behind in uptake.

Isiolo records the lowest engagement with just 46,968 registrations, followed closely by Lamu and Tana River.

The data reveal a trend where geographically expansive or historically marginalised counties, such as Marsabit, Samburu, and Turkana, face steeper hurdles in institutionalising the new health framework.

Even in regions like Taita Taveta and Tharaka-Nithi, numbers remain below the 180,000 mark.

These figures underscore the urgent need for targeted public sensitisation and the decentralisation of registration infrastructure to ensure that the transition to SHA does not leave the country’s most vulnerable populations behind.