The Ministry of Health has announced a new partnership with private insurance companies to complement services under the Social Health Authority (SHA) and expand healthcare access for Kenyans.
In a Monday statement, the ministry confirmed that, starting yesterday, private insurers will enhance the government scheme by offering additional plans such as overseas medical care, elective procedures, and premium add-ons. The insurers will also co-finance treatment of chronic illnesses through SHA’s Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF).
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale reached the agreement after he met with Chief Executive Officers of medical insurance companies at Afya House, Nairobi, on August 18. The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration in the health sector, particularly through SHA, to facilitate universal access to affordable healthcare.
According to the ministry, insurers will now be linked to SHA’s centralized claims platform, enabling real-time claim verification, faster processing, and the prevention of double-billing. Both parties also committed to harmonizing accreditation criteria so that Kenyans receive quality healthcare, whether under SHA or private schemes.
To eliminate fraud in medical claims, the ministry and insurers will introduce anti-fraud measures such as biometric verification, joint audits, and a shared database to expose fraudulent health providers.
“CS Duale acknowledged structural challenges facing the health system, noting that the Ministry is addressing them through laws and data-backed reforms to restore public trust. He called for a Public–Private Collaborative framework between MoH, SHA, the Association of Private Insurers, and IRA – starting with tariff alignment, data sharing, and fraud elimination,” the ministry stated.
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