How SHA Works in Kenya
How SHA works comes down to three separate funds, each covering a different level of care: the Primary Healthcare Fund for basic outpatient visits, the Social Health Insurance Fund funded by your monthly contribution for hospital-based care, and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund for emergencies and severe conditions. You register once, contribute monthly if you’re not exempt, and the fund that pays for your care depends entirely on what kind of treatment you need and where you get it.
The three funds, in plain terms
SHA doesn’t pay for everything out of one pool of money. It splits funding by how basic or severe your care need is:
| Fund | What it’s for | Where funded from |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Healthcare Fund (PHF) | Basic outpatient visits, consultations, minor procedures | Government allocations — available regardless of your payment status |
| Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) | Inpatient admission, surgery, maternity, cancer treatment, dialysis, specialist care | Member contributions of 2.75% of household income |
| Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF) | Emergencies, ICU/critical care, chronic conditions beyond the SHIF limit | Continues paying for care once SHIF’s scope is exceeded, for paid-up members |
For the full benefit-by-benefit breakdown of what each fund actually pays for, see our guide on what SHA covers in Kenya.
How to register
Choose your registration channel
Register online via the SHA portal, dial *147# on your phone, or visit a Huduma Centre in person. All three routes need your National ID.
Confirm your employment category
How you contribute depends on whether you’re formally employed or self-employed/informal sector — see the contribution section below.
Start or confirm your contribution
Registration alone doesn’t guarantee full cover — see “How care actually gets paid for” below for what’s available immediately versus what depends on active, paid-up status.
What you contribute, and how
Your contribution depends entirely on your employment status:
| Category | How much / how determined | How it’s paid |
|---|---|---|
| Formally employed | 2.75% of gross monthly income | Deducted and remitted directly by your employer |
| Self-employed / informal sector | Determined via a means-testing instrument | Assessed and paid through the Afya Yangu platform |
For the step-by-step on making an individual M-Pesa payment, see our guide on how to pay SHA via M-Pesa. If you’re an employer handling staff contributions, see our guide on the SHA PRN and employer payroll submission.
How care actually gets paid for
SHA doesn’t reimburse patients directly. The contracted facility submits a claim to SHA for the treatment given, and SHA reimburses the facility according to the agreed tariff — not the patient paying upfront and claiming the money back afterward. That’s why confirming a facility is properly contracted for the specific service you need matters more than simply being “registered” with SHA.
If your claim has already been submitted and rejected, see our guide on why SHA claims get rejected and how to fix them, or, if internal review hasn’t resolved it, how to appeal to the Dispute Resolution Tribunal.
FAQ: How SHA Works
How does SHA work in Kenya?
SHA pools healthcare funding into three separate funds by level of care: the Primary Healthcare Fund for basic outpatient services, the Social Health Insurance Fund funded by member contributions of 2.75% of household income for hospital-based care, and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund for emergencies and severe conditions.
How much do I pay for SHA per month?
Formally employed contributors pay 2.75% of their gross monthly income, deducted and remitted by their employer. Self-employed and informal sector contributors have their premium determined through a means-testing instrument on the Afya Yangu platform.
How do I register for SHA?
You can register via the SHA online portal, by dialing *147# on your phone, or by visiting a Huduma Centre with your National ID.
Does SHA work immediately after registration?
Emergency care is generally available once registered, guaranteeing stabilization for the first 24 hours of a medical emergency. For routine and specialist care, active, paid-up contributor status is what determines access, so confirm your status before relying on cover for non-emergency treatment.
How do I check if my SHA is paid?
Log in to the Afya Yangu portal to check your contribution and payment status, or dial *147# on your phone to check via USSD.
How do I claim money from SHA?
SHA payments generally go directly to the contracted healthcare provider, not to the patient. The facility submits a claim to SHA and is reimbursed according to the agreed tariffs for the treatment given, rather than the patient paying upfront and claiming money back.
Still Not Sure Where You Stand With SHA?
Send us your situation on WhatsApp and we’ll help you register, check your contribution status, or sort out any issue standing between you and your cover.
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