The Ministry of Health announced the introduction of Green Label Facilities, specially accredited health centres where registered SHA beneficiaries can access comprehensive primary healthcare services at no cost.
The initiative is being positioned as a major milestone in the government’s push to achieve universal health coverage through community-based care.
Bomet Health Centre has become the first facility in the country to receive the Green Label Service Charter, marking the official rollout of the new model.
Bomet Health Centre has become the first facility in the country to receive the Green Label Service Charter, marking the official rollout of the new model.
Officials say the centre will serve as a pilot for similar facilities across the country.
Under the Green Label framework, accredited health centres receive direct funding from the Primary Health Care Fund, eliminating the need for patients to pay out of pocket.
Under the Green Label framework, accredited health centres receive direct funding from the Primary Health Care Fund, eliminating the need for patients to pay out of pocket.
Services covered include medical consultations, diagnostic assessments, laboratory tests, and essential medicines.
According to the Ministry of Health, the package will also cover disease screening, routine immunisation, maternal and child healthcare, family planning services, and treatment for common illnesses.
According to the Ministry of Health, the package will also cover disease screening, routine immunisation, maternal and child healthcare, family planning services, and treatment for common illnesses.
Management of chronic conditions such as diabetes will also be included, a move expected to ease the financial strain on low-income households.
The government hopes that clearly branding these centres as Green Label Facilities will reassure
The government hopes that clearly branding these centres as Green Label Facilities will reassure
Kenyans that SHA is capable of delivering tangible benefits, particularly at lower-level health facilities where most citizens first seek care.
However, the announcement comes against the backdrop of widespread dissatisfaction with SHA, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) in October 2024.
Many Kenyans argue that the system has failed to meet expectations, despite mandatory monthly contributions.
Critics say SHA currently covers less than 15 per cent of actual treatment costs, leaving patients to shoulder the bulk of medical expenses.
Critics say SHA currently covers less than 15 per cent of actual treatment costs, leaving patients to shoulder the bulk of medical expenses.
Patients with serious conditions such as cancer and kidney failure report that critical diagnostic tests and medications are often excluded from coverage.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services have also drawn criticism, with patients receiving reimbursements of as little as 10 per cent of total bills, far below what had been promised during the transition from NHIF.
Private hospitals have increasingly turned away SHA patients or demanded upfront cash payments, citing delayed reimbursements and billions of shillings in unpaid government claims that have strained their operations.
Administrative challenges have further complicated access to care. Many Kenyans have been locked out of services due to mismatched identification numbers, complex household registration rules for adults over 25, and requirements to pay full-year contributions in advance.
President William Ruto, however, has defended the system, insisting that SHA is functional and transformative.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services have also drawn criticism, with patients receiving reimbursements of as little as 10 per cent of total bills, far below what had been promised during the transition from NHIF.
Private hospitals have increasingly turned away SHA patients or demanded upfront cash payments, citing delayed reimbursements and billions of shillings in unpaid government claims that have strained their operations.
Administrative challenges have further complicated access to care. Many Kenyans have been locked out of services due to mismatched identification numbers, complex household registration rules for adults over 25, and requirements to pay full-year contributions in advance.
President William Ruto, however, has defended the system, insisting that SHA is functional and transformative.
He maintains that more than 25 million Kenyans have registered and that early operational challenges are gradually being resolved.
The President has repeatedly emphasised that primary healthcare services at level 1 to level 3 facilities are completely free for registered users, arguing that SHA offers broader and more sustainable coverage than the former NHIF.
To address fraud, the government shut down approximately 1,000 unlicensed health facilities by August 2025 and pledged to sponsor 2.2 million vulnerable Kenyans at no cost.
Despite receiving international backing — including a Ksh208 billion US health cooperation framework signed in December 2025 — President Ruto has acknowledged that the reforms have generated widespread public anger and political backlash.
The President has repeatedly emphasised that primary healthcare services at level 1 to level 3 facilities are completely free for registered users, arguing that SHA offers broader and more sustainable coverage than the former NHIF.
To address fraud, the government shut down approximately 1,000 unlicensed health facilities by August 2025 and pledged to sponsor 2.2 million vulnerable Kenyans at no cost.
Despite receiving international backing — including a Ksh208 billion US health cooperation framework signed in December 2025 — President Ruto has acknowledged that the reforms have generated widespread public anger and political backlash.