When Samburu West Member of Parliament Naisula Lesuuda realised her county was lagging behind all 47 counties in the Social Health Authority (SHA) TaifaCare registration, she knew something had to change and fast.
Armed with a clear vision and an ambitious mobilisation strategy, she set out to rewrite the story, beginning right in her own constituency.
Determined to turn things around, Lesuuda drew inspiration and lessons from top-performing counties like Nyeri, Mombasa and Bomet.
“We have seen how counties like Mombasa, Bomet, and Nyeri are setting the pace. Samburu is catching up fast, and we are coming for the top. Our next milestone is number 25, which is also our county code. I believe we shall achieve this,” she said with enthusiasm.
Her efforts are already bearing fruit. According to data released by the Social Health Authority (SHA) in mid-June, Samburu County has moved up three spots, climbing from position 47, the very bottom, to position 44.
“Two weeks ago, Samburu County was position 47 out of 47 in access to universal healthcare. That was not just bad, it was unacceptable. I am proud to say we have made a notable leap to position 44 in SHA registration, which is approximately 54,000 people. It is a good start, but we are not stopping there. The only number we are chasing is 100 per cent registration, because every Kenyan, in every corner of this country, deserves affordable, quality and equal access to healthcare,” she added firmly.
SHA, which replaced the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), is central to Kenya’s move toward Universal Health Coverage.
Under the new UHC model, health facilities can receive reimbursements for services rendered, but only if residents are registered.
“The 2025/2026 budget has allocated Ksh 13.1 billion for primary healthcare and Ksh 8 billion for emergency, chronic, and critical illness. But if our people are not registered, that money will not reach them,” the MP, who has spearheaded back-to-back SHA registration campaigns in her constituency, noted, adding that, “Let us all lead in our homes, our villages, our places of worship, and in our communities. Let us show the way by encouraging more people to register.”
To support this effort, Lesuuda, in collaboration with the Samburu County leadership and SHA, launched intensive registration rallies across Samburu West, kicking off from June 3rd, with on-ground SHA officers ready to assist locals with information and the registration process.
“Samburu County lazima tuchangamke. We cannot continue to lag while others embrace and benefit from this transformative health programme,” she emphasised.
The national push for SHA was recently reinforced during the 62nd Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay County, where President William Ruto unveiled the ‘Lipa SHA Pole Pole’ initiative.
The programme allows Kenyans, especially those in the informal sector, to pay for health coverage in small, flexible instalments, making healthcare more accessible.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Aden Duale, hailed the initiative as a bold and practical step toward equitable health access.
In addition to SHA reforms, the President also announced the transition from the Managed Equipment Services (MES) model to the National Equipment Supply Programme (NESP).
Under NESP, the national government will work with counties to procure medical equipment directly from manufacturers, based on the specific needs of each county.
The equipment will be deployed on a fee-for-service basis, in line with gazetted SHA tariffs, ensuring quality, cost-efficiency and sustainability.
