Teachers and their dependents can sigh relief after the government assured them that they are now eligible for benefits under the Social Health Authority's (SHA) medical scheme.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the new arrangement means teachers will access services under three major funds: the Primary Healthcare Fund (PHC), the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Critical and Chronic Illness Fund (ECCIF). "All teachers and their dependents are now eligible for the same healthcare benefits as any other Kenyan registered with the SHA," Duale said in a statement. This is after educators raised concerns over infrastructure gaps and funding shortfalls.
Teachers' representatives and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) are raising red flags over the practicality of the move. Appearing before the National Assembly Education Committee recently, TSC CEO Nancy Macharia disclosed that attempts to onboard teachers onto the SHA platform had previously failed due to severe infrastructure and funding constraints. "This budget deficit has been a consistent obstacle.
Even last year, when we considered transitioning to SHA, they told us they lacked the necessary infrastructure and needed Sh37 billion.
