The national government has formally launched the Social Health Authority (SHA) and TaifaCare programmes in Kisumu County, ushering in a new era of universal health coverage and promising to dismantle entrenched corruption in Kenya’s healthcare system.
Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale, EGH, led the high-profile event at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), flanked by Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, SHA CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi, and Digital Health Authority CEO Eng. Antony Lenaiyara.
In a stern address on Wednesday, Duale warned that the government was cracking down on fraudulent health facilities and rogue pharmaceutical practices.
“We are shutting down 1,000 clinics this month and another 1,000 next month. Some are filing more surgery claims than referral hospitals, with less than ten beds. That nonsense ends now,” he declared.
He added that only licensed pharmacists will be permitted to dispense drugs as part of a sweeping crackdown on fake pharmaceuticals.
“From next week, there will be noise, but I’m ready. We will only accept drugs certified by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board in both public and private hospitals.”
Duale also announced new regulatory measures to enforce bed-capacity standards.
“No Kenyan will ever sleep on the hospital floor again. That era is over.”
The SHA and TaifaCare rollout is anchored on four pillars: digital transformation, access to essential medicines, investment in the health workforce, and sustainable financing. Duale pledged that the new system would ensure all Kenyans access affordable care.
“With TaifaCare, no one will be left behind because they can’t pay.”
Kisumu has already registered 597,634 residents under SHA, ranking fifth nationally after Mombasa, Bomet, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, and Elgeyo Marakwet. Of the county’s 397 health facilities, 192 are currently transacting under SHA, with over 175,000 hospital visits recorded and KES 165 million disbursed through the Primary Health Care Fund.
JOOTRH, the region’s premier hospital, is also set for an upgrade into a regional referral and cancer centre, now equipped with a modern CT scanner and mammography machines.
Governor Nyong’o hailed the move, citing Kisumu’s role as a pioneer in digital health.
“Kisumu didn’t wait for health reforms, we led them. Our systems are ready, our people are trained, and our partners are aligned.”
Dr. Mwangangi described the transition from NHIF to SHA as historic.
“TaifaCare isn’t just a programme. It’s a unified, national scheme , from preventive to chronic care.” She added that over 200,000 households in Kisumu are already registered, benefiting from inclusive models like “Lipa SHA Pole Pole,” which allows low-income families to pay in installments.
DHA CEO Eng. Lenaiyara said digitisation is revolutionising service delivery.
“Every process from registration to claims is digitised. Biometric data, mobile apps for community health promoters, and digital records are changing how we manage care.”
Kisumu becomes the fifth county to officially launch the nationwide SHA and TaifaCare programmes, which form a core component of the Kenya Kwanza government’s sweeping health reforms.
