The Ministry of Health has announced a major policy shift by including mental health services in the Social Health Authority (SHA) benefits package. The move aims to relieve thousands of Kenyan families who have been struggling with the high cost of treating mental illness.
According to the announcement, the inclusion of mental health care in the national benefits package ensures that Kenyans no longer have to choose between managing their mental well-being and meeting basic household needs. The services will be accessible through both public and accredited private health facilities nationwide.
This initiative forms part of the Taifa Care Model, which seeks to deliver equitable and affordable healthcare to all Kenyans under the Social Health Authority. The integration of mental health into the scheme comes amid rising cases of mental disorders, particularly among the youth and working populations. Experts have long warned that the lack of affordable care and stigma surrounding mental illness have worsened the crisis.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the government is focusing on inclusive and community-based approaches to improve access to treatment. A key component of this effort is the deployment of over 107,000 digitally trained Community Health Promoters who will help provide essential care at the grassroots level. This aligns with the government’s goal of strengthening primary healthcare and reducing the cost burden on families.
Mental health advocates have hailed the decision as a progressive step toward improving access to care and ensuring that mental health is treated with the same urgency as physical health. They have, however, called for adequate funding, streamlined administration, and accountability in implementation to prevent the challenges that have plagued previous healthcare systems.
Despite the optimism, there remains public scepticism about the SHA’s capacity to deliver. The agency, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), has faced criticism over slow claim approvals, limited service coverage, and corruption allegations involving ghost hospitals and fraudulent claims.
The Ministry of Health emphasized that the plan is guided by the Mental Health Act 2023 and the Kenya Mental Health Policy, both of which recognize mental health as a fundamental human right. As Kenya takes this bold step, the focus now shifts to how effectively the Social Health Authority will implement the program and restore public confidence in the healthcare system.
