Kisii County Senator Richard Onyonka has raised concerns over the state of Kenya’s healthcare system, which he says is faltering amid ongoing issues with President William Ruto’s health program Social Health Authority’s (SHA) e-claims portal.
Onyonka expressed his worries on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, calling on Kenyans to brace themselves for a challenging festive season due to the state of the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
In a statement shared via his X account, the senator painted a grim picture, urging citizens to pray that they or their loved ones do not fall ill during the Christmas festivities. He pointed to the crisis within SHA.
“Sadly, Kenyans are going to Christmas festivities in a sick nation. Pray that you or any of your kin doesn’t fall sick because SHA/SHIF is still in limbo,” Onyonka wrote.
The senator criticized the collapse of the Ksh104 billion Integrated Healthcare Technology System (IHTS), which was part of a high-profile Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP). The system was intended to digitize and streamline claims management within SHA but has reportedly failed to deliver.
Ole Kina faults SHA
This comes days after Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina highlighted the struggles Kenyans are facing with SHA when it comes to accessing health services.
In a statement via his official X account on Friday, December 6, 2024, Ledama disclosed that in the past eight months, he has been receiving many messages from citizens, however, the one that broke his heart was about the new healthcare cover.
He went on to state that one person who texted him asked him to come to the rescue of Kenyans from SHA noting that they missed the old health cover National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“In the past 8 months, I have received very many messages from citizens but the saddest of all is this one ‘Senator I miss NHIF, please help us’,” he wrote.
Ruto’s promise on SHA
This was after President William Ruto assured Kenyans that under his leadership, SHA would remain free from corruption, laying a foundation for a transformative and trustworthy healthcare system.
Speaking at the Kilifi International Investment Conference in Vipingo on Thursday, December 5, Ruto reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ridding the revamped health cover of corruption, a challenge that once marred the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“The challenges of fraud and corruption that crippled the NHIF will never be part of our universal healthcare plan as long as I am in charge,” Ruto declared, addressing both the gathering of local and international investors and officials present at the event.
