A nationwide campaign has been launched to enhance employer compliance with the Social Health Insurance Act and recover billions in unpaid remittances critical to sustaining public healthcare services. The initiative, flagged off in Nairobi, is being led by the Social Health Authority (SHA) and is focused on formal sector employers who have failed to meet their statutory obligations.
Over 12,900 employers in Nairobi have been identified as non-compliant, with arrears exceeding KES 3 billion. Authorities emphasized that the exercise is not punitive, but rather a partnership effort to ensure all players contribute to a fair and sustainable health system. Employers will receive support and guidance to help them meet their responsibilities under the law.
The revamped structure of Kenya’s public health insurance system includes the Primary Healthcare Fund, which covers all citizens at the basic level. In cases where one’s coverage under the Social Health Insurance Fund is exhausted and the illness is classified as chronic, the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF) steps in. Both funds fall under the administration of SHA, reflecting the government’s push for a more inclusive and robust public healthcare model.
Employers are required to remit their contributions by the 9th of every month. Continued non-compliance, even after engagement and guidance, may result in enforcement actions as stipulated in the law, including financial penalties.
The SHA has embraced a fully digital compliance platform that enables real-time tracking of contributions. This system allows for improved transparency, efficiency, and data-driven enforcement. It is part of broader efforts to modernize health financing and ensure accountability in public funds management.
Efforts are also underway to support informal sector workers through a flexible payment model known as Lipa SHA Pole Pole, which allows premiums to be paid in affordable installments. Coverage is activated immediately upon payment, removing previous barriers like waiting periods.
The compliance campaign began in Nairobi and will soon extend to Kiambu and Kajiado counties before being rolled out nationwide. Employers have been encouraged to cooperate with SHA officers and take advantage of the available support to become compliant.
Public awareness and media engagement are being prioritized to spread information about the new SHA framework and the broader goal of achieving universal health coverage across Kenya.
