How the social health scheme will improve access to quality care

President William Ruto has signed four legislative Acts to expand the scope of public healthcare and provide comprehensive healthcare and financial protection to all. One of them, the Social Health Insurance Act, came into effect on November 22, 2023. This Act established the Social Health Authority (SHA) and created three specific funds to be managed by SHA. These are three primary healthcare funds for basic health services, the social health insurance fund for broader health insurance coverage, and the emergency, chronic, and critical illness fund for serious health conditions requiring immediate attention. SHA's role is financial protection to reduce out-of-pocket expenses and protect families against catastrophic health expenditures. Kenya is poised for a revolutionary change in healthcare with the formation of the Social Health Authority (SHA). With the effective set-up and rollout of SHA, our healthcare system should see major changes, aiming to strengthen and streamline health access for all. Though the set-up of SHA has some setbacks, several critical initiatives are crucial for its success. SHA strives to bring together health services and resources into one more streamlined and effective system. The envisioned effective system to be set up is anticipated to address persistent issues such as uneven access to healthcare and fragmented service delivery. Through the centralisation of management and resources, SHA hopes to improve healthcare equity throughout Kenya. Enhancing access to basic services through primary healthcare funds, especially for underprivileged communities is one of SHA's most assuring features. SHA's emphasis on equity will close the disparities in healthcare access more so for the rural and vulnerable populations. One of the authority's mandates is to improve access to healthcare through expanded coverage and enhancing accessibility by establishing a more efficient system for delivering healthcare services, especially in rural and underserved areas and ensuring that all members in the family including school-going children access quality healthcare. Furthermore, the SHA is tasked with managing and streamlining important initiatives like Linda Mama. The government continues to ensure the successful implementation of the Linda Mama Programme, now under the management of the Social Health Authority SHA. Since its launch in 2013, it has provided crucial maternal care to 7.5 million pregnant women, leading to a significant reduction in maternal and infant mortality rates. In the last financial year, 1 million women benefited from the programme, with over 70 per cent of deliveries in public facilities. The path to revolutionising healthcare access is not without some setbacks. SHA's effectiveness will depend on its ability to implement its set-out long, mid and short-term strategies. Overall, SHA marks a substantial advancement and crucial step towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya. The three Funds have the potential to change the lives of millions of Kenyans by giving them access to affordable healthcare. The future looks promising for a more integrated and responsive digitised healthcare system. The writer is the acting Chief Executive Officer at the Social Health Authority

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