The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has called for the immediate dissolution of the Social Health Authority (SHA) board, accusing it of mismanaging the implementation of Kenya’s new universal health scheme.
KUCO leaders claim the board has misled the government, causing delays, inefficiencies, and hardships for patients. They demand its replacement with a competent team to restore confidence and efficiency in the healthcare system.
Speaking in Kisumu, KUCO Secretary-General George Gibore and Chairman Peterson Wachira said the SHA board had failed to provide sound advice on the scheme’s implementation. “We want the entire SHA board to be dissolved immediately due to its inefficacy, which has contributed to the chaotic implementation of the new health scheme,” declared Wachira.
The union argues that the system itself is not the issue—instead, the leadership and technocrats responsible for its implementation have sabotaged its success. KUCO criticised SHA’s refusal to empanel clinical officers at Level 2 and 3 health facilities, where most low-income patients seek treatment.
They argued that while deductions for SHA contributions are processed seamlessly, patients struggle to access treatment due to prolonged pre-authorisation procedures, forcing many to abandon the system altogether.
Allegations Against KMPDU Members
KUCO further accused some Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) members of benefiting from SHA’s failure by redirecting patients to private clinics to profit from the crisis. “Some doctors are taking advantage of the system’s failure by diverting patients to their private facilities while presenting SHA as ineffective,” they alleged.
Another major concern raised was insufficient funding for the scheme. While the government had initially promised Sh50 billion for primary healthcare, only Sh27 billion was allocated, leaving a huge funding gap.
KUCO warned that the system was rushed into implementation before adequate funding was secured, making it unsustainable in the long run.
“The primary healthcare budget is a drop in the ocean compared to the Sh133 billion allocated for curative care. Most Kenyans contribute through SHA deductions, yet the funds are inadequate to sustain essential services,” Wachira explained.
The union warned of a fresh nationwide strike if their concerns are not addressed within 14 days. “We had suspended our strike for 21 days following talks with the Council of Governors (CoG) and the Ministry of Health (MoH), but progress has been slow. If these issues remain unresolved, we will resume industrial action,” Gibore declared.
KUCO is calling on Parliament to exercise its oversight role and hold the SHA board accountable for its role in the botched implementation of the health scheme. They insist that urgent reforms are needed to ensure efficient service delivery, particularly in primary healthcare, which is the foundation of universal health coverage.
“The board’s failure has caused delays, confusion, and poor service delivery. Parliament must intervene to restore the integrity of the SHA scheme,” asserted Gibore. With mounting public frustration over the flawed rollout, KUCO has vowed to keep up the pressure until their demands are met.
