Africa-Press – Kenya. Teachers in Homa Bay County have opposed their transfer to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
This comes after the TSC ended its contract with Minet Kenya on December 1, 2025, which had provided health coverage for TSC teachers.
The teachers claim that the nationwide transition has left many of them unable to access essential medical services, including treatment at facilities they have relied on for years.
They claim that the new system is overly restrictive, as there is only one hospital available under SHIF in their area.
The Homa Bay Executive Secretary of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Stephen Yogo, stated that they had 4,175 members and approximately 9,000 primary teachers, and that the only SHIF accredited hospital in the area would be overwhelmed in serving them all.
“It is not possible that a teacher in Miriu or Natela will come all the way to go to one hospital which is in Homabay town,” Yogo added.
The teachers argued that SHIF has only one accredited facility compared to their previous coverage, and this would leave thousands stranded whenever they fall ill.
Homa Bay KUPPET Chairman, Jack Okoth, also threatened that if the issue between Social Health Authority (SHA) and the local hospitals is not resolved, they might call for a strike.
“If the Ministry does not resolve the standoff between SHA and these hospitals then we will go on the road and demand our health rights,” He noted
Several teachers also called on the TSC to expand the list of approved hospitals, insisting that more options are urgently needed to ensure timely and adequate healthcare for educators and their families.
As the complaints mount, neither the Ministry of Health nor the TSC has issued an official response addressing the concerns raised by educators over the transfer.
Teachers vowed to continue pushing for answers, insisting that their health and safety must remain a priority.
