Kenyan Diaspora in Canada to Engage Health Officials on SHA Changes

Kenyans in Ontario, Canada, will have an opportunity to question senior Kenyan health officials about the country’s healthcare reforms during a virtual forum on Monday, 12 October 2026.

The forum will bring together officials from the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Digital Health Agency (DHA) to discuss changes to healthcare financing, administration and service delivery in Kenya. Speakers will include Dr Mercy Mwangangi, Chief Executive Officer of SHA, and Eng. Antony Lenaiyara, head of the Digital Health Agency. They will be joined by Dr Charles Wambulwa, President of KCO. Khevali Fedha and Dismas Kibungei will moderate the discussion.

The meeting will focus on SHA and Kenya’s Health Management Information System (HMIS), which form part of the government’s efforts to reform healthcare financing and modernise the management of health services. A key part of the reforms has been the replacement of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) with the Social Health Authority. The new framework includes the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), which is intended to support the government’s universal health coverage agenda.

The transition has introduced new requirements for registration, contributions and access to healthcare services. Patients, employers and healthcare providers have had to adjust to the changes as the government implements the new system.

For Kenyans living abroad, the reforms are also relevant because many support relatives in Kenya or help meet their medical expenses. The forum will provide an opportunity to understand how the new arrangements work and how they may affect access to healthcare for family members at home.

The government is also introducing digital systems to improve healthcare administration. The Digital Health Agency is responsible for developing and managing platforms intended to improve patient record management, strengthen coordination between healthcare institutions and support the secure exchange of health information.

In June 2026, the Ministry of Health began migrating healthcare providers from the SHA Provider Portal to the SHA Health Management Information System. The process is part of a broader plan to consolidate healthcare data and services within an integrated digital system. The government expects the migration to be completed by 30 October 2026.

The new systems are intended to improve efficiency, strengthen accountability and provide more reliable data for healthcare planning and resource allocation. However, their effectiveness will depend on implementation, the reliability of the platforms and the ability of patients and healthcare providers to adapt to the new processes.

The Ontario forum will give diaspora members a chance to raise questions about these changes directly with the officials responsible for implementing them. Discussions are expected to cover the operation of SHA, the development of digital health services and the practical implications of the reforms for patients and healthcare providers.

The session is scheduled to begin at 1pm in Toronto and New York, equivalent to 8pm in Kenya. Organisers have encouraged members of the Kenyan community to participate in the online discussion.