Frontier Eye Desk
Nairobi, Kenya.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has defended the government’s overhaul of maternal healthcare, describing the newly launched Linda Jamii scheme as a “transformative step” that builds on past lessons while fixing inefficiencies that plagued previous systems.
Speaking amid debate sparked by former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s criticism of the transition, Duale emphasized that the shift from the NHIF-based Linda Mama to Linda Jamii under the Social Health Authority (SHA) is an upgrade, not a rollback.
“Nobody has scrapped Linda Mama. What we have done is expand and modernize it to achieve Universal Health Coverage for every household,” Duale said
He revealed that the ministry inherited a KSh 5.6 billion debt from the Linda Mama program, citing “years of weak oversight and mismanagement” that compromised care for mothers and children.
His remarks came after Kakamega Senator Boniface Khalwale labeled the conversion to Linda Jamii “fraudulent and ill-conceived,” urging the ministry to prevent extra billing for patients. But Duale and President William Ruto have maintained that the new model represents a superior evolution, with Ruto noting last month that “Linda Mama was good, but Linda Jamii is obviously better.”
Launched in June 2025, Linda Jamii marks a major shift from NHIF’s fragmented system to SHA’s integrated framework. Unlike its predecessor, which only covered mothers and newborns, Linda Jamii now offers household coverage, allowing mothers to register spouses and children for full family protection.
The package includes antenatal checkups, normal and Caesarean deliveries, postnatal care, newborn services, and Anti-D serum treatment for Rhesus-negative mothers. Reimbursements have been increased to KSh 10,000 for normal deliveries (up from 2,500) and KSh 30,000 for C-sections (up from 5,000). Teenage mothers also receive free delivery services.
Duale highlighted targeted interventions for adolescent mothers, supported by digital platforms and Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to ensure real-time registration and care. Since launch, over 22,000 teenage mothers have accessed free maternal services.
He also issued a stern warning against corruption, saying misuse of public funds threatens the integrity of the UHC agenda.
“As we expand access to quality care, all stakeholders—public officials, healthcare workers, and citizens—must safeguard public resources,” he cautioned.
President Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki have hailed Linda Jamii as a milestone in healthcare reform, with Kindiki calling it “the best thing Kenya has ever heard.”
Still, implementation hurdles persist, with delayed SHA disbursements and reports of mixed patient experiences. Experts say the scheme’s success will depend on timely reimbursements, transparency, and public trust.
With KSh 2 billion already allocated to strengthen the program, Duale insists Kenya’s healthcare revolution is underway—one family, and one delivery, at a time.