Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has officially launched the Usalama Cover, onboarding officers from the National Police Service and the Kenya Prison Service into an enhanced health scheme under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Speaking during the launch in Nairobi on April 2,2026, Duale described the move as “a monumental milestone in the realization of universal health coverage,” noting that the new package is designed to address the unique risks faced by uniformed officers.
The CS revealed that the government has already made significant progress in health sector reforms, with over 30 million Kenyans registered on the SHA platform.
“As of this morning, we have successfully registered over 30,269,902 Kenyans into the SHA digital platform,” he said.
Duale added that the system is already delivering results, citing massive claims processing and payments to health facilities.
“We have now successfully disbursed cumulatively a total of Sh125 billion to healthcare facilities across the Republic,” he stated, emphasizing that “numbers don’t lie.”
He further warned healthcare providers against submitting fraudulent claims, stressing that payments are strictly tied to proper documentation.
“If your claim is right… the CEO has money… and she’ll pay you. But if documentation is missing… SHA will not pay,” he said.
The CS also issued a firm directive against illegal co-payments, declaring zero tolerance for facilities charging patients for covered services.
“Co-payments and out-of-pocket cash demands… are strictly forbidden. Any facility found demanding cash… will face immediate suspension and be compelled to issue a full refund,” Duale warned.
Under the Usalama Cover, officers and their dependents will access comprehensive care ranging from primary services to specialized treatment, including overseas referrals and fertility care such as IVF. The package also includes last expense benefits and an ex gratia framework for catastrophic cases.
Duale underscored that the reforms are part of a broader national health transformation, noting that SHA is already functional and effective.
“The Social Health Authority is not a concept of the future… it is a living, breathing and highly effective reality today,” he said.
A nationwide sensitization campaign is set to begin to educate officers on how to access and use the new benefits.
The onboarding of 138,283 officers and their dependents from the National Police Service and Kenya Prisons Service into Social Health Authority (SHA) comes months after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) mandated the transition of teachers from the Minet Kenya medical insurance plan to the Social Health Authority (SHA), marking a major shift in public sector health coverage.
Over 400,000 teachers and their dependents migrated to the SHA scheme, which offers structured benefits, including coverage for one declared spouse and up to five children.
Children are eligible up to age 21, or 25 if fully dependent and enrolled in full-time post-secondary education, with no age limit for children with disabilities.
Additional children can also be covered at an extra premium, highlighting SHA’s flexibility in family health coverage.