Only nine counties meet SHA statutory remittance deadline
Only nine Kenyan counties have met the statutory deadline for remitting Social Health Insurance Fund contributions, leaving 38 counties non-compliant. The government has warned that failure to remit these funds is a criminal offense and attracts penalties.
Why it matters
The failure of county governments to remit health insurance funds threatens the stability of Kenya's new universal healthcare system.
Only nine counties are complying with the law requiring them to remit Social Health Insurance Fund ( SHIF ) contributions by the ninth day of every month. Data by Social Health Authority (SHA) shows 38 non-compliant counties have accumulated Sh418 million in unpaid contributions, with an additional Sh13.6 million for penalties. Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale said the ninth-day deadline is a statutory requirement and not a matter counties can choose to ignore. "The obligation to remit SHA contributions by the ninth of every month is settled in law. It is not something that people have a choice on," said Duale. Duale made the revelations on Monday, during a special Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) meeting chaired by the Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
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