Government now sets July 1 as SHIF deductions date

Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha during a joint session of the health committees of the National Assembly and the Senate on February 27, 2024, to review Social Health Insurance Fund draft regulations. (Photo: MoH)

By Barack Oduor
Apr 04, 2024 | 11:35 AM

Social Health Authority (SHA) Chairman Timothy Olweny confirmed the announcement that finally ends uncertainty on the matter.

Deductions for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) will be effected as of July 1, 2024, following a change of date by the government.

The fresh date appears in the final Social Health Insurance (General) Regulations, 2024, which also states that member registration should be finalised before or on June 30.

"Upon the coming into force of these regulations, every person resident in Kenya shall apply to the Authority for registration as a member of the Social Health Insurance Fund in terms of Section 26(1) of the Act no later than June 30, 2024," the regulation states.

Social Health Authority (SHA) Chairman Timothy Olweny confirmed the announcement that finally ends uncertainty on the matter.

Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha had said the process would start in March but then changed the date to July before switching back to March.

"We project that from March, we need three months to prepare ourselves, a digital system for registration, testing, and then the collection of funds from the new financial year, which is July," she had said.

The government is setting up a mechanism to kick-start registration and testing to identify vulnerable households in dire need of financial support and those for whom the national or county governments will pay the monthly contributions.

"We will announce the date when the registration will start. It will be soon. We hope that means testing will be incorporated into the registration process," said Olweny.