The transition from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the newly formed Social Health Authority (SHA) is underway, with significant changes expected for NHIF staff.

Harry Kimtai, the Principal Secretary (PS) of the State Department for Medical Services, announced on Tuesday, October 1 night that all NHIF employees will be vetted afresh before being transferred to the SHA.

This transition marks the end of NHIF’s 58-year history, which has been tainted by corruption scandals, and ushers in a new era with the SHA. Currently, 485 interim employees, who were previously NHIF staff, have been incorporated into SHA as part of the ongoing restructuring process.

However, the remaining NHIF employees, numbering 1,743, must undergo the vetting process before they can be considered for positions within the new authority. PS Kimtai emphasized that NHIF employees would be evaluated based on merit before their roles in SHA are determined.

“We are still populating the staff at SHA, and we are starting with 485 staff. The CEO is the only acting one, the rest of the staff are employees of NHIF who have transited temporarily to the SHA… The current staff of NHIF shall, on application and vetting process, will be transited to SHA,” PS Kimutai said in an interview with Citizen TV.

The Ministry of Health also rebranded the NHIF headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi, signaling the official takeover by SHA.

Despite assurances from NHIF management that no layoffs will occur during this transition, anxiety remains high among staff.

Many are uncertain about their future, especially in light of the recent Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) report released in March 2024, which revealed significant corruption within NHIF.

SHA’s establishment aims to restore public confidence in Kenya’s health insurance system, and the vetting of NHIF employees is part of an effort to eliminate any individuals involved in past malpractices.

As of now, 2.6 million Kenyans have already registered with the new authority, with the Ministry able to migrate the faithful beneficiaries of NHIF, 9 million of them, to the new health insurance plan.