Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has responded to a viral video of a 70-year-old cancer patient who decried lack of adequate financial support for his cancer treatment from the Social Health Authority (SHA), forcing patients to pay out of pocket something he described as unsustainable.
Speaking during the launch of TaifaCare, the new national health insurance scheme, in Nakuru on Wednesday, July 24, 2025, Duale dismissed the patient’s claims as false.
“Even that elderly man you saw yesterday on NTV—we reviewed the records this morning and found that he still has an active premium. If he has any issues, he shouldn’t go to Nation Media. Nation is not a hospital. He should go to the SHA office and seek help from a Community Health Promoter,” said Duale.
The Health CS also addressed the patient’s plea for the government to revert to the former health financing model, previously managed by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
In his remarks, Duale maintained that the government will not reverse its decision.
“This SHA plan was first introduced by President Mwai Kibaki but it didn’t succeed. Then President Uhuru tried again—he launched it in four counties: Isiolo, Nyeri, Kisumu, and Machakos. But eventually, he also concluded that it had failed,” Duale stated.
Duale Responds to 70-Year-Old Cancer Patient
The patient, Gatamu Waigwa, a 70-year-old man with stage 3 prostate cancer, spoke to NTV on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. He said that SHA had failed to cover his treatment and that he was told it would only resume in the next financial year. As a result, many cancer patients like him have been forced to pay out of pocket.
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Waigwa also alleged that SHA reduced the annual cancer treatment coverage compared to what NHIF had provided.
“NHIF used to cover up to Ksh 600,000 per year. But when SHA took over, they forced us to migrate from NHIF, and SHA robbed us—if my figures are right, SHA now only covers Ksh 200,000 a year,” he said.
Cancer Patient Pleads with Govt to Revert to NHIF
He pleaded with the Health CS to consider returning to NHIF, which he argued was more beneficial for cancer patients.
Waigwa also claimed that he wrote multiple letters to SHA seeking clarification after his insurance was repeatedly declined but never received any acknowledgment or response.
“I have written to SHA a number of times—very strong letters—but they have never even acknowledged a single one. They have never addressed the concerns I raised,” he lamented.
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Under the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), managed by SHA, cancer care falls under the Chronic Illness and Emergency Care package.
The government fully covers screening, diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy in public hospitals. Partial coverage is provided in private and faith-based facilities. Services also include imaging, lab tests, and palliative care.
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