All officers under the National Police Service (NPS) and the Kenya Prisons Service (KPS), together with their eligible dependents, have officially been transitioned to the Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, effective April 1, 2026.
SHA CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi in a statement noted that the authority is working closely with relevant institutions and healthcare providers to ensure a smooth transition, with no disruption in access to medical services.
Officers have been urged to update details of all declared dependents under their cover to avoid any inconveniences.
She further assured that dependents already admitted in hospital will continue receiving treatment without interruption under the new scheme.
In cases where an officer or dependent is receiving care in a facility not contracted by SHA, appropriate arrangements will be made to facilitate transfer to a contracted facility to ensure continuity of care.
Designated liaison officers stationed in all county offices will oversee communication and coordination throughout the transition period.
The move to transition the police and prisons services to SHA began in January 2025 following a directive by President William Ruto.
A meeting convened by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale later resolved to establish a joint technical team comprising representatives from the police, prisons and SHA to finalise benefit packages, service delivery frameworks and transition plans.
Duale noted that the move is aligned with the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda, aimed at delivering equitable, sustainable and quality healthcare for all Kenyans.
According to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC), the NPS has approximately 106,830 members, including 89,373 male and 17,457 female officers.
The Kenya Prisons Service has about 31,227 uniformed officers 23,878 male and 7,349 female who are responsible for managing an estimated 54,000 inmates across 107 penal institutions.
All these officers and their eligible dependents will now be covered under the SHA medical scheme.
