Kenyans rush to register for new Social Health Authority system

By Robert Mutasi 

In a never-seen-before phenomenon of digital subscription, Kenyans are registering for the newly launched Social Health Authority System at an unprecedented rate of 1,000 applications per second. 

The surge, as reported by Moses Kuria, an economic adviser in the Executive Office of the President, underlines how fast Kenya is embracing digital services, especially in such key sectors as healthcare, and which is about to benefit millions across the country.

Kuria, in his most recent post on his verified social media handles on Friday, September 27, 2024, highlighted the impressive rate of registration that is ongoing, where the number happening currently equates to 25% of those handled by M-Pesa, Kenya's leading mobile money service, with an estimated 4,000 transactions per second.

Kenya's uptake of digital technology can turn the developed world green with envy," Kuria said, adding weight to the rising prowess of the country in the tech space.

The backlogged applications of over 50,000, set for processing, do point toward the scale of the operation, showing the ever-increasing demand for affordable and accessible healthcare.

Mwananchi Sasa: The Social Health Authority System is a government initiative toward Universal Health Coverage, aimed at making health service delivery easy for citizens through digital platforms.

The move falls in the larger vision of President William Ruto's administration for digital services to be expanded for efficiency in public service delivery, especially for healthcare.

A Global Pioneer in Technology

Since 2007, Kenya has been a leader in mobile and digital technologies in Africa; its mobile money system, M-Pesa, significantly revised methods of money transacting and became a model for other countries.

M-Pesa has driven most of the financial inclusion, from money transfer to micro-loans and even savings in as far-reaching areas as any part of the country. It is this very technological innovation in the financial space that laid the bedrock for Kenya's current leap into digital healthcare.

The Social Health Authority System leverages this success. Through the pervasive use of mobile phones, Kenyans are able to register for health services with a simple dial-in on their mobile devices using the *147# platform. This process is therefore accessible to citizens both in urban and rural areas. In a country estimated to have a 93% penetration rate in mobile phones, this integration on the mobile platform is very critical.

Challenges and Opportunities

While such success of the system is to be welcomed, this has not been without its resultant pressures, as borne out by the 50,000 applications lying in a queue waiting for updates.

More infrastructure might thus be put in place to handle such a huge response. The unprecedented response, however, indicates the people's preference for updated healthcare services.