In his State of the Nation address on Thursday, November 21, 2024, President William Ruto repeatedly referred to the newly launched Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) as Taifa Care.
SHIF was officially launched on October 1, 2024, to replace the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Throughout his speech, Ruto consistently referred to SHIF as Taifa Care, signalling a rebranding of the country’s new healthcare model.
Ruto noted that Kenyans had shifted from the National Health Insurance Fund model to Taifa Care.
“The shift from the National Health Insurance Fund model to Taifa Care is fundamental and radical in both scale and character.
“NHIF served a few salaried Kenyans and those who could pay, but Taifa Care covers every Kenyan regardless of their employment status,” Ruto said.
The president went on to describe the benefits of Taifa Care over NHIF.
“Unlike NHIF, which primarily catered to salaried workers and those who could afford its premiums, Taifa Care aims to provide coverage for every Kenyan, regardless of employment status.
“Secondly, despite serving a limited class of citizens, NHIF nevertheless accumulated billions of shillings of debt because of misalignment between contributions and the actual cost of healthcare,” he remarked.
Ruto added that Taifa Care provides timely, effective and efficient service to everyone, unlike NHIF which had a longer waiting period.
“Taifa Care has undertaken an accurate costing of all healthcare-related goods and services, in order to provide timely, effective and efficient service to everyone. Additionally, the NHIF had a waiting period, lasting between registration and eligibility for services.
“Under Taifa Care, citizens are eligible for all services upon registration. I urge every Kenyan to take the most important step in securing dependable healthcare for themselves and their families: register now or at the earliest opportunity,” he remarked.
The president noted that Taifa Care has increased services offered to Kenyans including free ambulance and emergency services.
“For the first time in our nation’s history, free primary healthcare is increasingly becoming available at dispensaries, health centres and hospitals. Ambulance and emergency services are also slowly but surely being made available at no fee.
“Under Taifa Care, we have introduced a comprehensive benefits package that brings specialised care, such as cardiothoracic surgery, within reach for many Kenyans, without the burden of financial strain,” he stated.
Ruto stated that the Digital Health Act has revolutionized healthcare delivery, digitizing every step of the process – from registration and eligibility checks to claims management.
He emphasized that by removing unnecessary human interaction, the government is combating corruption, streamlining operations, and ensuring resources are directed to where they are needed most.
“To date, over 15 million Kenyans have enrolled in Taifa Care and more than 60% of employers have successfully transitioned into its framework. The newly established Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) empowers citizens to contribute towards accessing a broad range of healthcare benefits.
“This represents a seismic shift from the old, reactive healthcare model to a forward-looking system that prioritises prevention and preparedness.
“Once the transition from NHIF is complete and SHIF becomes fully operational, Kenya will have a healthcare system that guarantees dignity, peace of mind and equitable access for every citizen for the very first time in our 60 years of independence.”