The Social Health Authority (SHA) has defended its means-testing instrument, maintaining that the new model is equitable and protects low-income households.
This follows a report released days ago by Africa Uncensored, which stated that the system used to determine medical cover for Kenyans is flawed.
A 49-minute documentary by Africa Uncensored, titled Error by Design and released two days ago, highlights how the SHA’s means-testing system is flawed, leaving low-income earners disadvantaged.
The documentary further reveals that the government was aware of these shortcomings long before the SHA programme was launched.
“Ilibidi nijinyime… huwezi save niliona niko na sure bet itanisaidia… nikaona nijinyime niweke pale ….” said Huruma resident Florence Atieno.
In an interview on The Explainer on Citizen TV this week, Tuesday, Africa Uncensored investigative and data journalists Joy Kirigia and Purity Mukami detailed the struggles faced by low-income earners in the informal sector as they attempt to meet high premium payments.
“We talked to those who were overcharged, they cannot afford the premiums and the struggles in accessing healthcare….” Kirigia noted.
In a statement to newsrooms Wednesday evening, SHA welcomed public debate but maintained that replacing the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) was necessary to address long-standing structural weaknesses and inequities in the system.
Further, SHA says that currently, 92% of households in the informal sector are assessed at Ksh.850 or less monthly. Specifically, 45% of assessed households fall into the Ksh. 300–500 band, and 47% are in the Ksh. 501–850 band.
Only 7.1% are placed in the Ksh. 1,001–3,499 band, and a mere 0.4% are assessed above Ksh.3,500.
SHA admits that it will continuously refine the means testing tool as more household data becomes available through registration and implementation.
