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Health & Fitness

SHA Social Health Kenya Hub: Cover, Claims, and Transition Guides

By ZaKenya Editorial 2 min read
SHA Social Health Kenya Hub: Cover, Claims, and Transition Guides

Key points

  • SHA (Social Health Authority) replaced the old NHIF brand. NHIF registration does not carry over automatically — register on SHA channels.
  • Register on sha.go.ke/register, afyayangu.go.ke, or USSD *147#.
  • Registration itself is a government process (no broker fee). Contributions are separate.
  • If a facility says you are not covered: confirm SHA number, contribution status, and that the hospital is empanelled — then use SHA channels, not a “NHIF agent”.

Verified 17 September 2026. Registration steps from sha.go.ke. Contribution rates and benefit tariffs are published by SHA and can change — check Premium Rates / Means Testing on the official site and your payslip.

Who should register

SHA states every person resident in Kenya should register (citizens with National ID; children with a birth certificate; foreign residents with Alien ID or refugee ID as applicable).

How to register

  1. USSD: dial *147#, accept terms, enter ID and first name as prompted, set the PIN the menu asks for.
  2. Web: sha.go.ke/register or Afya Yangu. Complete the self-registration form with accurate ID data.
  3. Add spouse/children as the portal allows (marriage certificate or affidavit for a spouse added later; notify SHA after a birth as the site instructs).

Contributions (confirm live)

Do not copy a blog’s “KES 300” or “2.75%” as a quote. SHA publishes premium rates and means testing on sha.go.ke. Salaried staff are usually deducted by the employer. Informal households complete means testing on the official portal or USSD. Pay only using the paybill/account SHA shows in the app or SMS — commonly discussed Paybill 200222 with ID as account appears in public explainers; confirm on sha.go.ke or the SHA SMS before you pay.

If it goes wrong

  • Still on NHIF records: register on SHA. Old NHIF cards are not a substitute.
  • Claim/access denied: ask the facility for the SHA rejection reason; check contribution status on *147# or the portal; switch to an empanelled facility if needed.
  • Wrong personal data: use SHA self-service or a Huduma / SHA desk with original ID. Do not pay someone to “activate SHA overnight”.

Official links