President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson on Saturday launched Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover for Nairobi’s 7,820 Community Health Promoters (CHPs), making them the first group of community health workers in the country to receive comprehensive SHA coverage as they carry out their duties.
During a meeting with the CHPs at State House, President Ruto and Governor Sakaja presented a cheque to facilitate the registration and payment of SHA premiums for the frontline health workers.
“Today in Nairobi, we are presenting this cheque to ensure SHA cover for all our Community Health Promoters. The Governor and I have come together to make this happen, and I urge other governors to follow this example so that Community Health Promoters across the country can also benefit,” President Ruto said.
The President lauded the Community Health Promoters for their role in transforming healthcare by taking services directly to households and spearheading the registration of millions of Kenyans onto the Social Health Authority.
“Through the Community Health Promoters, we are able to reach more people and register more Kenyans to SHA. Today, SHA is paying hospitals and transforming the standard of healthcare in our country. SHA has registered 33 million people compared to the eight million who were under NHIF. NHIF used to pay about Sh5.6 billion every three months, while SHA is now paying about Sh12 billion every month. That is how we are transforming healthcare in Kenya,” Ruto said.
Governor Sakaja said Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) reforms were succeeding because of the work of Community Health Promoters, whom he described as the backbone of the country’s new healthcare model.
“Universal healthcare is working because of the CHPs. We used to tell people to go to hospital; today the CHPs take the hospital to the people. That is the global standard and a model that other countries will come to learn from Kenya,” Sakaja said.
The Governor cited the Health Service Investment Case 2023, saying investment in community health workers delivers significant economic and social returns.
“Every one dollar invested in Community Health Promoters yields 14 dollars in return. It is an investment in the health of our country because a healthy nation is a wealthy nation,” he said.
Sakaja highlighted Nairobi’s maternal and child health programmes, saying the county is the first in Kenya to implement a comprehensive Nurturing Care Framework that supports children from conception through early childhood.
“We are the first and only county implementing the Nurturing Care Framework for every child from nutrition and caregiving to educating families on how to care for unborn children. In Nairobi, healthcare starts long before a child is born,” he said.
The Governor also recalled his efforts to champion the welfare of community health workers during his tenure as Nairobi Senator.
“Like your President, I sat with you before when I was Senator. I realised Community Health Volunteers were working without support. I approached then Deputy President William Ruto, and together we ensured it was included in our manifesto. Today, it is a reality,” Sakaja said.
According to Sakaja, the CHPs have played a central role in implementing the Social Health Authority by registering residents, conducting household visits and linking communities to essential healthcare services.
He added that the county’s decision to provide SHA cover for all CHPs was aimed at protecting the workers who spend their days delivering healthcare to others.
“We are also going to pay for SHA for our CHPs. You cannot be giving medical attention to people while you are not covered yourself. The President is also helping us make this happen,” Sakaja said.
Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Health and Nutrition Suzanne Silantoi said the Community Health Promoter programme had significantly improved access to healthcare while driving SHA registration across the city.
She said the increased enrolment had translated into higher reimbursements for public health facilities, enabling hospitals to improve services, upgrade infrastructure and attend to more patients.
“The work of our CHPs+ has greatly improved SHA registration. This has enabled our facilities to serve more patients, while the reimbursements have strengthened healthcare services and improved our facilities,” Silantoi said.
During the meeting, Community Health Promoters demonstrated the work they undertake in Nairobi’s neighbourhoods, showcasing the medical kits they use during household visits. They explained how the kits enable them to conduct basic health assessments, identify illnesses early, educate families on preventive healthcare and reach residents who may be unable or unaware of the need to seek treatment.
The presentations highlighted the government’s push to shift healthcare closer to communities, with Community Health Promoters serving as the first point of contact in disease prevention, health education, early diagnosis and referral to health facilities.
