SHA counters TSC’s claim over exclusion of 360,000 teachers

The Social Health Authority (SHA) has dismissed claims by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) that it refused to enroll over 360,000 teachers due to inadequate national infrastructure.

In a statement, the Prima SHA clarified that all teachers are entitled to insurance coverage under three specific schemes:ry Healthcare Fund (PHC), the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Critical, and Chronic Illness Fund (ECCIF).

"All teachers and their dependents are eligible for benefits under the Social Health Authority (SHA) through the Primary Healthcare Fund (PHC), Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and Emergency, Critical and Chronic Illness Fund (ECCIF), provided they are registered and contributing like any other Kenyan," the statement noted.

Addressing concerns over teachers being excluded from the scheme, SHA clarified that the TSC retains the freedom to arrange additional private insurance covers for its employees.

However, SHA stressed that it has no role in managing or overseeing these supplementary covers.

"Employers like the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) are at liberty to secure complementary insurance for their staff through licensed private underwriters," SHA stated.

"It is important to note that the Social Health Authority does not administer the TSC’s supplementary medical cover sourced from a private insurer. Nonetheless, TSC may choose to enroll its members into the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, where they can tailor complementary benefits in line with their financial capacity."

While appearing before the National Assembly Education Committee, TSC CEO Nancy Macharia revealed that attempts to enroll 360,000 teachers into the cover had been unsuccessful, citing insufficient infrastructure as the main challenge.

"Last year, when we had issues with Minet, we wanted to move our teachers to SHA. We have always wanted to have our teachers under the national insurer, even during the NHIF days,” she said.

"We held a meeting with SHA before renewing our contract with Minet for this final year, and they told us they didn’t have enough structures. They said they would need Ksh37 billion to enrol our teachers, but even then, they were not ready to take them on this year."