Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale appeared before the Senate Plenary Session today to respond to questions from Senators on the Maternal and Child Healthcare Programme and ongoing reforms under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

The session was chaired by Rt. Hon. Amason Kingi, Speaker of the Senate. CS Duale was accompanied by the Director General for Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, and the CEO of the Social Health Authority, Dr. Mercy Mwangangi.

In his address, CS Duale highlighted the government’s progress in strengthening Kenya’s healthcare system through the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), a transition from the previous narrow maternal focus to a comprehensive household coverage model under the Linda Jamii Scheme.

“Under the new model, reimbursement rates have been significantly enhanced, from KES 2,500 to KES 10,000 for normal deliveries and from KES 17,000 to KES 30,000 for caesarean sections. Pregnant adolescents and newborns are also covered through temporary identification numbers, ensuring inclusivity,” the CS stated. He added that more than 22,000 teenage mothers have managed to access maternal services through SHA.

CS Duale reiterated the government’s commitment to prioritizing maternal health before, during, and after pregnancy. He also revealed that a comprehensive forensic review and audit are underway.

“To combat fraud, 1,188 case files with supporting evidence have been handed over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for investigation and prosecution,” the CS added.

CS Duale also confirmed that the government is clearing outstanding debts from the former NHIF. Payments totaling KES 5.3 billion are prioritized for health facilities with smaller claims that are below 10 million, while larger claims are verified before disbursement.

The CS informed the Senators on broader health sector reforms, including human resource adjustments designed to accelerate Universal Health Coverage (UHC), that is a key pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).