Social Health Authority (SHA): what it is, how it works

Short answerChecked 31 October 2026

SHA stands for the Social Health Authority, the public body established by section 4 of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023 to register members, collect contributions, contract hospitals and pay them out of three funds: the Primary Healthcare Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund. It replaced NHIF — the Act repeals the NHIF Act of 1998 — and was launched on 1 October 2024. Every Kenyan must register (s.26), and contributions are 2.75% of income, with a minimum of KES 300 a month.

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Answers come from the law, the regulator and the insurers' own documents, with the source under each answer. General information, not advice.

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On this page · 7 sections

SHA in the law
How SHA works: three funds
Who must register and who pays
Which hospitals SHA pays
Complaints and appeals
FAQ
Sources

SHA in the law

The Social Health Insurance Act, No. 16 of 2023 sets up the Authority as a body corporate (s.4). Its functions under section 5 include:

register the beneficiaries;
manage the Funds established under the Act and receive the contributions;
empanel and contract healthcare providers and facilities, after their inspection, licensing and certification by the relevant body;
pay contracted providers and facilities out of the Funds;
receive and address complaints arising from the Act.

Section 54 repeals the National Health Insurance Fund Act, 1998. The Ministry of Health announced the official launch of SHA for 1 October 2024 (Ministry of Health). In its own words, SHA brings together contributions, partners with approved healthcare providers and pays for medical services (About SHA). SHA is not a private insurer and does not sell policies.

How SHA works: three funds

Fund	What the Act says it is for	Paid for by
Primary Healthcare Fund (s.20)	Purchasing primary healthcare services from health facilities	Money voted by the National Assembly, grants and levies (s.21)
Social Health Insurance Fund — SHIF (s.25)	The insurance fund members register with and contribute to	Members' contributions, money voted for indigent and vulnerable people, grants (s.25(2))
Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund (s.28)	Chronic illness after the SHIF cover is used up, and emergency treatment	Money voted by the National Assembly, grants and donations (s.29)

SHA's pages give each fund its services: outpatient, maternity and screening under primary healthcare; inpatient, surgery, renal and mental health under SHIF; ambulance, emergencies, critical and chronic illness under the emergency fund. What each package pays, with the tariffs: the SHA benefits package.

What this means at the hospital, according to SHA (SHA FAQ): there is no waiting period; registered members and dependants get outpatient care at Level 2, Level 3 and selected Level 4 facilities, and emergency and critical care; SHIF services require contributions that are up to date — as section 27(4) of the Act also says.

Who must register and who pays

Section 26 of the Act: every Kenyan shall register, non-Kenyans ordinarily resident in Kenya are eligible, and a child born after the Act is registered at birth. SHA's home page adds that there is no maximum age, no exclusion for pre-existing conditions and no limit on the number of children you can add (sha.go.ke).

Household	How it contributes (s.27 and SHA premium rates)
Salaried	2.75% of gross salary, deducted monthly by the employer
Not salaried	2.75% of household income as set by means testing, paid yearly or in instalments; minimum KES 300 a month
In need of financial help (means test)	Paid by the government
People in lawful custody	Paid by the government

Rates as published by SHA: 2.75% of gross monthly income, minimum KES 300 a month, no upper limit (premium rates). Work out your amount with the SHA contribution calculator and pay with how to pay SHA.

Which hospitals SHA pays

SHA pays only providers and facilities that are empanelled and contracted (s.33). A facility applies to the accreditation body; once the list is published on the website and in the Kenya Gazette, SHA may contract it within 30 days (onboarding facilities). Government, private, faith-based and NGO facilities are all on SHA's contracted list. How to find one near you: SHA hospitals.

Section 31(2) adds that nothing in the Act stops anyone from taking private health insurance as well. How the two fit together: SHA vs private medical insurance.

Complaints and appeals

Start with SHA: toll-free 0800 720 601, complaints@sha.go.ke or customerservice@sha.go.ke (SHA FAQ). SHA's service charter commits to register a complaint within 1 working day and resolve it within 14 working days, and names the Commission on Administrative Justice for services that fall short (service charter).

Under section 43 of the Act, a person aggrieved by a decision made under the Act may appeal to the Dispute Resolution Tribunal within one month of the decision, and from the Tribunal to the High Court within 21 days.

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Frequently asked questions

What does SHA mean?

SHA means Social Health Authority, the body set up by the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023 to run Kenya's public health insurance. It replaced NHIF.

When did SHA start?

The Ministry of Health announced the official launch of the Social Health Authority on 1 October 2024.

Is SHA the same as SHIF?

No. SHA is the Authority; SHIF, the Social Health Insurance Fund, is one of the three funds it manages, next to the Primary Healthcare Fund and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund.

Is SHA compulsory?

Yes. Section 26 of the Act says every Kenyan shall register as a member of the Social Health Insurance Fund. Non-Kenyans ordinarily resident in Kenya are eligible too.

How much is SHA per month?

2.75% of gross monthly income, with a minimum of KES 300 a month and no upper limit, according to SHA's premium rates. Non-salaried households pay 2.75% of income as set by means testing.

Can I keep private medical insurance with SHA?

Yes. Section 31(2) of the Act says nothing in it prevents a beneficiary from taking private health insurance cover.