A section of Kenyan Members of Parliament (MPs) on Thursday, November 7, expressed frustrations over difficulties they encountered while enrolling in the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), managed by the Social Health Authority (SHA). This revelation was made during a session with officials from the Ministry of Health and SHA, who had been summoned to the National Assembly Committee on Health to address concerns about the recently rolled-out insurance scheme.
Moyale MP Jaldesa Guyo was among the first to voice his displeasure, highlighting issues with the registration process through his national identification number. He noted that his personal experience mirrored that of many Kenyans who had struggled to navigate the new system. “Even now as I try to register, my ID number cannot go through, which means there are many other Kenyans facing similar challenges,” Guyo lamented. His remarks drew attention to the ongoing difficulties with the SHIF rollout, despite assurances from the SHA that the system was operational.Echoing Guyo’s sentiments, Webuye East MP Martin Wanyonyi pointed out the inefficiencies in the new system, particularly with the delays in receiving One-Time Passwords (OTPs), which are crucial for completing the registration process. “The whole issue of delays in terms of updates by the One-Time Password (OTP) is really frustrating,” Wanyonyi remarked. His comment underscored a widespread frustration that many Kenyans have reported since the launch of the new insurance scheme.
Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino also shared his experience, focusing on the system failures that had plagued the SHA’s online platform. He criticized SHA’s earlier claims that the system was fully functional, citing repeated issues when attempting to log in. “When I try to log in, it says system failed. Why is the system failing? You submitted to us that the system is completed. Maybe you can define for us the word complete,” Owino stated. He warned that unresolved issues at this stage could escalate, affecting services even at the national level. “If things fail here, they will fail till Level Six,” he added, referring to the highest tier of healthcare facilities in Kenya.
In response to these concerns, the National Assembly Health Committee proposed several recommendations to streamline the registration process. A key suggestion was the establishment of SHA help desks in each of the 290 constituencies across the country. This move, they argued, would help address the challenges faced by Kenyans during registration.Dagoretti MP Beatrice Elachi proposed that SHA leverage its network of community health workers to assist with the registration process at the constituency level. She also recommended a timeline to resolve the registration issues. “The SHA community health workers can work with our constituencies and create a desk to help Kenyans register. We can give ourselves two weeks to get out of this quagmire,” she emphasized.
Endebess MP Robert Pukose, chair of the health committee, suggested that the Ministry of Health collaborate with Parliament to facilitate MPs’ enrollment in the new scheme. “The ministry can work with the clerk of the National Assembly to demonstrate to MPs how the registration process works. It will become much easier for MPs when they go back to their constituents and explain the entire process,” Pukose concluded.
The session highlighted the teething problems of the SHIF rollout and the urgent need for improved system functionality to ensure smooth access for all Kenyans.
