President Wiliam Ruto on Monday expressed optimism that the challenges Kenyans are facing with accessing healthcare since the October transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA) will be ironed out.

Speaking during the 11th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit at State House, Nairobi, Ruto said the challenges Kenyans are experiencing with the new healthcare scheme, which he recently rebranded as Taifa Care, are due to its “scale and ambition.”

Taifa Care, Ruto said, “is overcoming technological and operational challenges to ensure that every citizen, regardless of status or means, has access to quality, affordable healthcare.”

“For the record, the scale, boldness, and ambition of Taifa Care are unprecedented, and we are confident that the challenges will be resolved soon,” the President added.

SHA has been heavily criticised for its meagre benefits as well as cries from Kenyans unable to access healthcare under it since the transition began.

But Ruto and senior government officials like his health cabinet secretary, Deborah Barasa, have defended it and even called for patience from Kenyans.

With SHA, all Kenyans are required to part with 2.75 per cent of their income, with the base contribution being Ksh.300. 

During his November 21 State of the Nation address when he rebranded SHA to Taifa Care, President Ruto said more than 15 million Kenyans were enrolled in the scheme.