Edu Afya discontinued over double payments – CS Duale
CS Duale said the scheme, which was meant to offer health insurance to students in public secondary schools, had been misused and had become unsustainable.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has revealed that the government discontinued the Edu Afya Programme due to fraud and double payments.
Speaking before the Senate plenary, Duale said the scheme, which was meant to offer health insurance to students in public secondary schools, had been misused and had become unsustainable.
"As such, it was found to be unsustainable and the government resolved to consolidate all these special schemes into the Social Health Authority (SHA) benefit package," Duale stated on Wednesday.
He was responding to a question by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who sought clarity on the reasons behind the decision to collapse the programme.
Duale clarified that Edu Afya was not the only scheme affected.
Several other special health schemes previously managed under the now-defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) were also merged into SHA.
He said this move was aimed at ensuring all Kenyans, including children, could access the highest attainable standard of healthcare.
Under SHA, students who are part of a household are eligible for services through three key funds — the Primary Health Care Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF).
These funds are designed to work together and offer comprehensive healthcare coverage.
Launched in May 2018, the Edu Afya scheme was a partnership between the ministries of Health and Education and the NHIF.
It provided students in public secondary schools with insurance coverage for outpatient, inpatient, and emergency care, as well as dental and optical services.
The government paid a premium of Sh1,350 per student annually, with the scheme running for five years.
Duale defended the new SHA system, calling it more efficient and responsive to the needs of Kenyans.
"Under NHIF, if you rushed to the hospital with an emergency, they would ask for a deposit before they admit. Under SHA, the hospitals are obligated to treat you regardless of whether you have a deposit or not," he said.
