The government has unveiled plans to streamline contributions to the Social Health Authority (SHA) in a bid to address persistent delays in remittances, particularly from employers.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the new proposal during the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) conference held in Mombasa on Saturday, May 10.

CS Duale expressed concern over the high rate of non-remittance by employers, a challenge he said has significantly undermined the effectiveness of SHA operations.

To mitigate the problem, the Ministry of Health is proposing a system where contributions from all civil servants are deducted directly at the National Treasury.

This move is expected to eliminate delays by ensuring timely and consistent remittances to the authority.

“I will take the proposal to the Council of Governors so that SHA contributions for all civil servants, both at the national and county levels, are deducted at the source. I will also present it to the National Treasury and the Cabinet,” said Duale.

The authority, which was launched in October 2024, has registered over 20 million Kenyans, including a large number of public servants.

The Social Health Authority was established to provide a more comprehensive and equitable healthcare financing mechanism, replacing the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Under the new system, contributions are mandatory for all Kenyans and are structured to accommodate both formal and informal sector workers.