The Social Health Authority was designed to be the bridge between Kenyans and the healthcare they deserve. And when it works, it is nothing short of life-saving.
One story in this newspaper today captures that power vividly—a teacher whose wife was saved without a single shilling leaving his pocket, a mother who no longer fears hospital bills and a kidney patient who has reclaimed her dignity.
Such stories prove SHA’s potential as a universal health coverage model that restores not just health, but hope. They are the reason millions of Kenyans have registered. They show us that when the system functions, it transforms lives.
But alongside these triumphs lie baffling failures. There are reports of Kenyans stranded in Indian hospitals after the authority allegedly failed to pay their bills; patients turned away at local facilities because SHA has not reimbursed them for past services.
These are life-and-death failures that erode trust and tarnish a scheme meant to protect us all.
If SHA is to fulfil its promise, its reliability must be as universal as its name. That means consistent service across counties, timely payments to hospitals and transparency when problems occur.
A family should not have to rely on luck to get the care they have been promised and paid for.
SHA has given us a glimpse of what is possible: a Kenya where illness no longer drives families into poverty. Now it must ensure that every Kenyan, whether in Migori or Mumbai, can count on it, every time.
Quote of the Day: "It's not about the failure, it's about learning from the failures. Failure itself cannot be celebrated." —Indian-American businessman and CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella was born on August 19, 1967
