Government has dismissed claims that teachers are being denied medical treatment under the Social Health Authority (SHA) scheme, even as the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) threatens nationwide industrial action over what it describes as a failing healthcare system.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale insisted the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF) administered by Social Health Authority is functioning effectively and continues to provide healthcare services to teachers and their dependents across the country.
The reassurance comes after Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers issued a seven-day strike notice, accusing the government of failing to guarantee reliable healthcare for educators. Union officials claim the SHA system has experienced frequent breakdowns, delays in approvals, and limited hospital participation, leaving some teachers stranded while seeking treatment.
According to the union, the crisis has been worsened by the suspension of medical services by private hospitals under the Rural Private Hospitals Association, which reportedly declined to treat teachers and police officers due to unpaid government claims exceeding KSh30 billion over the last ten months.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori said the system has increasingly failed to meet the healthcare needs of teachers.
“We have been having a medical cover which did not compel us to come to hospitals to establish pay bill numbers for contribution-authorised funds. But what is happening now is not what teachers are supposed to undergo,” Misori stated.
Union leaders argue that teachers previously covered under the Minet Teachers Medical Scheme were guaranteed benefits through a negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which they say has effectively been undermined by the transition to the new system.
KUPPET National Chair Omboko Milemba warned that teachers’ lives could be put at risk if the situation persists.“If this one is to continue, it therefore means that our life, the lives of teachers we represent, is going to be compromised,” he said.
However, CS Duale rejected claims that teachers are being denied care, citing official data showing widespread use of the scheme since its rollout.
According to the Ministry of Health, more than 249,000 teachers and their dependents have already accessed treatment under SHA, with claims exceeding KSh3.5 billion processed so far. Teachers have reportedly received services in 2,823 healthcare facilities nationwide, including both public and private hospitals.
The ministry also reported that Nairobi County recorded the highest number of claims at 30,766 cases worth KSh527.7 million, followed by Uasin Gishu with 29,212 claims valued at KSh463.2 million. Other counties with high utilization include Meru, Bungoma, Kisii, Kisumu, Nakuru, Kiambu, Trans Nzoia, and Kericho.
Duale argued that the new scheme represents a major reform compared to the previous private insurance model.
“We have eliminated the profit-driven middlemen. This framework ensures that every shilling allocated by the government goes directly into purchasing quality healthcare for teachers and their dependents,” he said.
The government says it is closely monitoring the performance of the scheme in collaboration with the Teachers Service Commission to address operational challenges and ensure uninterrupted healthcare services for educators.
Meanwhile, KUPPET has warned that failure to resolve the issues within the seven-day ultimatum could lead to a nationwide teachers’ strike, potentially disrupting learning across schools.
