SHA Introduces Fingerprint Identification for Minors

Kenya, July 7, 2026 -  The Social Health Authority has introduced fingerprint identification for registered minors in a move aimed at strengthening beneficiary identification.

In a statement on Tuesday, SHA’s CEO Mercy Mwangangi said that the fingerprint of registered child dependants aged 7-17 years shall be captured when the child visits a SHA-contracted healthcare provider.

Before the fingerprint of the child is captured, parents or guardians will be required to give consent, according to Mwangangi.

“The child's fingerprint will be captured at a SHA-contracted healthcare provider when the child visits for treatment. It will be used to identify the child and confirm that the correct beneficiary is receiving care,” the authority stated.

“The child's information will be handled securely in line with the Data Protection Act, 2019. This process is supported by the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023 and Regulation 38 of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024,” it added.

The authority explained that in cases where fingerprint verification is not possible, healthcare providers will instead use the contributor's identification number together with a one-time password (OTP) to authenticate the identity of the beneficiary.

 In case of any clarification, members of the public have been advised to contact SHA through its toll-free helpline, 147.

 The announcement comes a day after the authority clarified that beneficiaries above 18 years and still in school can still be covered as dependants under SHA.

In a notice on Monday, the authority said that the beneficiary must first be a registered SHA member, and then the parent or guardian should ensure that they add them as dependants in their SHA accounts.

 The parents shall be required to attach documents that prove that the individuals are in fact in school or college.

 The announcement comes at a time when the Ministry of Health is ramping up efforts to enroll  More Kenyans in SHA, one of President William Ruto’s signature projects.

 President William Ruto recently revealed that 32 million Kenyans have already registered with SHA and are already accessing healthcare services under the national insurance.