Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, has criticized the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), arguing that the scheme had long failed to serve the majority of Kenyans equitably.

Speaking during an interview on Kameme TV on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, Muthoni said the government's move to dismantle NHIF in favor of a new structure was driven by glaring inequalities in the old system.

She revealed that only about 20 per cent of Kenyans primarily those in formal employment were actively benefiting from NHIF, while the remaining 80 per cent, mostly drawn from the informal sector or unemployed, remained locked out.

“NHIF mainly served the formally employed. Millions were excluded simply because they didn’t have salaried jobs,” she said, insisting that the transition was necessary to create a more inclusive model.

The PS emphasized that the newly introduced Social Health Authority (SHA), anchored in the Social Health Insurance Financing Act of 2023, was designed to provide broader, more accessible healthcare coverage for all Kenyans.

She said the rebranding to Taifa Care signals a deliberate shift toward a public-oriented insurance system untethered from one’s employment status.

“SHA is here to serve every Kenyan. With NHIF, very few could actually access the benefits it had become a burden to those left behind,” she noted.

Muthoni maintained that NHIF had become outdated in the context of universal health coverage, adding that Taifa Care was envisioned as a more equitable and sustainable solution.

However, even as she defended the government’s position, public skepticism persists over whether the new framework will deliver on its promises, particularly in terms of affordability and reach.

Her remarks underscore the government’s narrative around health reform but come at a time when many Kenyans are still grappling with the realities of transitioning to the new system.