Kenyans are expressing deep frustration after finding out that the Social Health Authority is now asking for a full year’s payment before anyone can receive treatment.
Without any official warning or clear explanation, people who have been paying monthly contributions are being told they must now pay Ksh12,460 upfront. This shift in policy has shocked many across the country, especially those in the informal sector who were relying on the system to give them affordable healthcare access.
The move seems to have started in June 2025, but no proper notice was given. Now, patients are walking into hospitals expecting to use the services they’ve been paying for, only to be told they don’t qualify unless they pay the full annual amount.
Many are being turned away even after paying for several months. The result has been pain, confusion, and a growing sense of betrayal.
The new health plan, introduced as a replacement for NHIF, had promised to be more inclusive and flexible. President William Ruto had spoken about “lipa pole pole” as a way to ease pressure on low-income earners. But now, people feel tricked. Instead of offering help, the system is pushing them toward debt.
Some hospitals are reportedly advising patients to take out loans through the Hustler Fund to cover the lump sum cost, adding a financial burden to those who are already struggling.
In towns and villages across Kenya, anger is rising. People are questioning why a public health plan, meant to serve all, is now becoming inaccessible to the poor. Someone like a boda boda rider or a mama mboga can barely save enough in a week, let alone pay over Ksh12,000 at once. Yet these are the very people the system claimed it was built for.
Now, instead of being helped, they are being humiliated at hospitals and sent home without treatment.
To make matters worse, there has been little clarity from officials. The head of the Social Health Authority, Dr Mercy Mwangangi, said she is still investigating the situation. Another official, PS Ouma Oluga, asked the public to document their experiences.
But these statements are doing little to stop the confusion. Many feel the damage has already been done.
Trust in the healthcare system is fading. What was meant to be a new chapter for universal healthcare is now being seen as a broken promise. Unless the government urgently addresses the situation and brings back the option of monthly payments, millions of Kenyans will continue to suffer. The idea of forcing people to borrow just to access medical care goes against the very meaning of public service.
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