By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, April 23, 2026 - For many teachers who have recently struggled to get treatment or faced unexpected hospital bills, a new government agreement is now promising immediate relief.
The Ministry of Health, the Social Health Authority (SHA) and teachers’ unions have agreed on sweeping changes to the teachers’ medical scheme, with a clear directive: no teacher should pay out-of-pocket when seeking care in approved facilities.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the new arrangement requires all contracted hospitals, including Level 5 and Level 6 facilities, to offer treatment without charging any additional fees. “Teachers will not pay anything in hospital… that is the direction going forward,” he said.
The agreement follows weeks of concern from teachers over delays, system challenges and cases where some were asked to top up costs despite being covered.
To restore order, SHA has scrapped the controversial tariff controls that had caused confusion in hospitals. In the meantime, all facilities under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF) have been strictly barred from charging any co-payments as fresh negotiations on pricing continue.
“Once contracted, these facilities must strictly offer a ‘walk-in, walk-out’ service to all teachers, with absolutely zero co-payments,” the joint communiqué states.
The reforms go beyond immediate access to care. SHA has committed to conclude nationwide tariff negotiations within four weeks, targeting over 3,500 private and faith-based hospitals across the country. The outcome is expected to standardise pricing and reduce disputes between hospitals and the scheme.
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To keep the system working, the government will also introduce regular engagement forums. Monthly meetings involving SHA, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and union leaders will track claims, payments and service delivery, while county-level structures are being reactivated to resolve issues closer to where teachers live and work.
In a move aimed at transparency, SHA will publish and regularly update a list of approved hospitals so that teachers can easily identify where to seek care without delays.
The agreement also outlines additional benefits, including access to overseas treatment in specialised hospitals and support for high-cost medical cases through an ex-gratia framework.
Teachers’ representatives have welcomed the changes, saying they restore confidence after a difficult transition period. However, they emphasised that strict enforcement will be key to ensuring hospitals comply and that teachers actually feel the impact on the ground.