Police, prison and National Youth Service (NYS) officers are in line for wider medical benefits after the government introduced a new healthcare package under the Social Health Authority (SHA), offering more treatment options, broader family cover and lower insurance costs.
The package, which takes effect in the new financial year, is expected to improve access to healthcare for thousands of officers and their dependants while reducing the amount the government spends on medical insurance.
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration said the new arrangement strengthens healthcare support for members of the disciplined services without compromising the benefits they receive.
"Looking into the new financial year, we have almost halved the cost of medical cover and expanded the benefits for Police, Prisons and National Youth Service officers through the new Social Health Authority-backed medical scheme," the ministry said.
The ministry said the package is among the biggest welfare improvements introduced for Kenya's disciplined services under President William Ruto's administration.
"This reform ensures our men and women in uniform receive comprehensive healthcare while serving the nation," the ministry added.
One of the biggest changes is that officers living with pre-existing medical conditions will now receive treatment under the scheme. The previous medical cover excluded such conditions, leaving many officers without support for ongoing illnesses.
Access to healthcare has also been widened through a much larger network of accredited facilities. Instead of relying on about 600 hospitals under the former arrangement, officers can now seek treatment at more than 10,000 SHA-accredited health facilities across the country.
The government has also removed rank-based restrictions on overseas treatment, making the benefit available to every officer. Previously, only a limited group could access treatment outside the country.
The reforms further allow officers to register all eligible dependants under the scheme after the government scrapped the previous limit of six dependants.
In addition, the package introduces funeral and last-expense benefits, providing support that was not included in the previous medical insurance plan.
The ministry said the payment model has also been reviewed, replacing the former blanket arrangement with structured contributions and benefits based on different categories.
According to the ministry, the changes will help the government lower its spending on officers' medical insurance while maintaining comparable healthcare services.
The government previously spent about Sh9 billion every year on medical cover for Police, Prisons and NYS officers. Officials said the new arrangement reduces that cost by about half.
The changes form part of the wider implementation of the Social Health Authority, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) as Kenya's national health insurance system.
The government says the shift to SHA is meant to widen access to healthcare, improve service delivery and provide stronger financial protection for Kenyans, including public servants.
Officials said the enhanced package will benefit thousands of police officers, prison officers and NYS personnel, whose work often exposes them to demanding and high-risk conditions that require reliable medical care for themselves and their families.