President William Ruto has unveiled expanded cancer care benefits under the Social Health Authority (SHA), a move he says is central to strengthening Universal Health Coverage and rebuilding trust in Kenya’s health system.
Delivering his State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Thursday, the President announced that the cancer benefits package will rise from Ksh.550,000 to Ksh.800,000 starting December 1, 2025. He said the increased allocation is designed to ease the financial burden on cancer patients and improve access to quality treatment.
Ruto commended SHA’s progress since its rollout, noting that registration has reached 27 million Kenyans—over three times the number enrolled under the former NHIF.
“Twenty-seven million Kenyans are now registered under SHA. This shows that ‘leaving no one behind’ is not just a slogan; it is a commitment that’s being delivered,” he said, adding that more than 10,000 health facilities have already joined the new scheme.
The President emphasized that SHA will continue to steer major reforms aimed at ensuring every Kenyan can access affordable and reliable healthcare as part of his administration’s long-term vision for universal health coverage.
