Ruto Unveils Sh4.4 Billion SHA Sponsorship for 2.2 Million Vulnerable Kenyans

NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto on Friday unveiled a Sh4.4 billion health sponsorship programme targeting Kenya’s most vulnerable households, in a move expected to significantly expand access to affordable medical care.

Launched at State House Nairobi, the Social Health Authority (SHA) Sponsorship Programme will cater for premiums of 558,000 households an estimated 2.2 million Kenyans under the new SHA framework that officially replaces the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).

The package guarantees comprehensive medical coverage, ranging from basic outpatient consultations, health screenings, and malaria tests, to high-cost procedures such as kidney transplants, accident-related surgeries, and cancer care.

Coverage limits include up to Sh1.12 million for kidney transplants and Sh550,000 for breast, cervical, and prostate cancer treatment.

“This modern framework ensures that every Kenyan, especially the most vulnerable, can access quality health care services when they need them most,” President Ruto said during the launch. “No Kenyan should be denied treatment because of inability to pay. This programme guarantees dignity, equity, and fairness in our health care system.”

The president emphasized that beneficiaries will begin accessing services immediately upon registration at accredited public and private hospitals across the country.

President Ruto has officially launched the government SHA sponsorship programme aimed at supporting vulnerable households across the country.

He further urged county governments, Members of Parliament, philanthropists, and development partners to contribute towards expanding the scheme’s reach. Notably, he disclosed that an anonymous donor had already committed to sponsoring more than 113,000 Kenyans.

Officials from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour & Social Protection confirmed that a verified database of eligible households has already been prepared, ensuring smooth rollout of services.

The initiative is seen as a landmark reform in Kenya’s push toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), positioning healthcare not as a privilege but as a guaranteed right for all citizens.