The government has eliminated co-payments for teachers under the Social Health Authority (SHA) plan, a strategic decision aimed at averting a potential nationwide strike over healthcare concerns.
This significant development follows a high-level meeting that united the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the Social Health Authority (SHA), the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).
Under this updated arrangement, teachers nationwide will no longer face co-payments when visiting SHA-accredited health facilities. Additionally, the medical coverage has expanded to include more specialized care services, with institutions like Nairobi West Hospital now included on the accredited list.
The day-long meeting, held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in Mombasa, yielded a breakthrough that effectively halted a planned strike set to commence next week. Teachers’ unions had expressed intentions to take industrial action over issues related to medical service accessibility within the SHA framework.
Discussions centered on long-standing grievances, particularly complaints regarding healthcare providers demanding extra payments despite comprehensive coverage. The government and unions reached an agreement to eliminate co-payment requirements and encouraged teachers to report any infractions.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akelo Misori announced plans for an upward revision of capitation, particularly concerning outpatient coverage limits.
SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi cautioned healthcare providers against imposing additional fees on teachers, emphasizing that strict measures would follow any violations of this directive.
“Facilities are prohibited from co-charging teachers. We have received reports of some providers engaging in co-charging practices. Any provider found co-charging a teacher will face repercussions,” she stated.
Mwangangi further noted that SHA is currently negotiating with healthcare providers to establish standardized tariffs for the services offered to teachers under the scheme.
These changes come in response to increasing pressure from teachers, especially those affiliated with KNUT, who had threatened a nationwide strike if the concerns surrounding the SHA coverage remained unaddressed.
Teachers have voiced dissatisfaction with the scheme, reporting inadequate medical services characterized by system failures, treatment delays, and inefficiencies that hindered their access to healthcare.
Michael Muna, Secretary General of KNUT Kiambu West, articulated the frustrations of teachers, stating, “We feel shortchanged. The expectations we had have not been met, and the challenges we have outlined must be addressed for teachers to feel satisfied.”
He expressed concern that many teachers struggle to understand why they are paying for a scheme that does not fully serve their needs. “It is unfortunate. Paying for two schemes while not benefiting from them is unacceptable. We must candidly acknowledge this situation,” he asserted.
Teachers indicated that their issues intensified following their full integration into SHA in December 2025, with numerous reports of being turned away from hospitals, experiencing treatment delays, and incurring rising out-of-pocket costs for previously covered services.
Concerns about the SHA reflect broader dissatisfaction among public sector workers. Civil servants have also protested changes to SHA, including a reported cap of Ksh2,500 on outpatient services, arguing that such limits leave them effectively underinsured.
The issue has garnered political attention, with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua urging teachers to distance themselves from the scheme. “Many teachers have approached me. I encourage them to demand that union leaders facilitate an immediate exit from SHA and return to private insurance that adequately supports our teachers,” Gachagua stated during a recent meeting in Kiambu.
He claimed that the current coverage fails to meet essential needs, including hospital access and burial benefits that were available under previous arrangements.
Nevertheless, teachers maintain that their primary focus is on securing reliable healthcare. Both KNUT and KUPPET have warned that they may resort to industrial action if the situation does not improve.
KUPPET’s Stephen Langat expressed the growing frustration among educators nationwide, stating, “If changes do not occur, we will take to the streets and disrupt learning.”
