Teachers in Kisii County have called for the abolition of the Social Health Authority (SHA), accusing the scheme of failing to meet their healthcare needs due to delayed approvals, rejected claims, and poor service delivery.
The concerns were raised during a teachers’ forum held in Kisii town, where Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Sports Organising Secretary Simeon Ongaga spoke on behalf of members of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) in the region.
Ongaga said many teachers were struggling to access medical services despite making regular contributions to the scheme.
“SHA is not working for teachers. We are contributing, but when it comes to treatment, our members are turned away or forced to pay out of pocket. This system needs to be abolished and replaced with one that guarantees quality healthcare for educators,” he said.
He argued that the former National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), despite its shortcomings, offered more reliable services to teachers compared to the current SHA system. Ongaga urged the government to address teachers’ grievances and adopt a healthcare model that prioritises efficiency, accountability, and timely access to treatment.
The union official warned that continued challenges under SHA could negatively affect teachers’ morale and productivity. He also called on the Ministry of Health and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to engage union leaders in finding a lasting solution.
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However Deputy President Kithure Kindiki while addressing teachers at Geturi Secondary School in Kitutu Chache North on Monday, defended SHA reforms calling for patience among educators.
Kindiki acknowledged the complaints surrounding SHA and assured teachers that the government was working to improve the system and address operational challenges.
“We have heard the concerns from teachers and other public servants. SHA is a new system, and we are addressing the teething problems such as delayed approvals, claim rejections, and slow payments to hospitals. Our goal is to ensure every teacher and learner gets timely healthcare without hassle,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President said the government had cleared Ksh177 billion in pending bills owed to health providers and was streamlining SHA processes to reduce bureaucracy and improve service delivery.
He urged teachers to allow ongoing reforms time to take effect, noting that SHA was designed to support the government’s Universal Health Coverage agenda by expanding access to healthcare services.
Kindiki further stated that the Ministry of Health was in continuous consultations with the Teachers Service Commission and teachers’ unions to address issues affecting educators.
He maintained that scrapping SHA would undermine progress made in broadening healthcare access for millions of Kenyans.
The differing views between teachers and the government have intensified debate over the future of SHA, with educators in Kisii demanding its abolition while the government insists the system can be improved through reforms.
By Enock Okong’o
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