Former Lsk Boss Faith Odhiambo Slams Sha System As Unfair To Low-Income Earners
img_tag = ("The healthcare system that was supposed to save ordinary Kenyans from medical poverty is now actively pushing them deeper into financial ruin, according to former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo.
Odhiambo delivers a scathing critique of the Social Health Authority (SHA) system, describing it as "digital poverty extraction" that unfairly targets low-income earners across the country. Speaking candidly about the scheme that replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), she argues that what government marketed as a healthcare revolution has become a nightmare for struggling families.
The timing of her criticism hits particularly hard as millions of Kenyans grapple with the new system's complexities and costs. From the mama mboga in Kawangware trying to register her family to the boda boda rider in Kisumu confused about premium payments, SHA's rollout has left many feeling more vulnerable than protected. The system's digital-first approach excludes those without smartphones or reliable internet, creating a two-tier healthcare access model.
For ordinary Kenyans already stretched thin by the high cost of living, SHA's structure feels like another burden rather than relief. Many families report spending more on healthcare premiums and co-payments than they did under the old NHIF system. The promise of universal healthcare coverage rings hollow when a matatu driver earning Sh20,000 per month faces the same premium structure as a civil servant earning double that amount.
Odhiambo's legal background adds weight to her concerns about the system's fairness and constitutionality. Her argument that SHA perpetuates inequality rather than addressing it resonates with county-level experiences where rural communities struggle with poor internet connectivity and limited digital literacy. The very people who need healthcare protection most find themselves locked out by technological barriers.
The former LSK boss joins a growing chorus of professionals questioning whether SHA truly serves public interest or creates new forms of exclusion. Her "digital poverty extraction" phrase captures what many Kenyans feel but struggle to articulate – that technology meant to simplify their lives has become another way to squeeze money from already tight budgets.
As SHA continues its nationwide rollout, Odhiambo's criticism raises fundamental questions about healthcare equity in Kenya's digital age. Will the government address these structural inequalities, or are we witnessing the creation of a system where your ability to pay determines not just quality of care, but access to care itself?