MP Falhada questions SHA effectiveness after Garissa hospital viral video sparks debate

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOMonday June 8, 2026

East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Falhada Iman Dekow speaking to the press in Garissa town on Sunday. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO

A video of Garissa Governor Nathif Jama speaking with a patient at Garissa County Referral Hospital has thrust the Social Health Authority (SHA) programme back into the spotlight, prompting fresh questions over whether the government’s health push is delivering on its promise.

The clip, recorded on Friday and circulated widely on social media over the weekend, shows Governor Jama in conversation with a woman who had gone to the county referral hospital seeking treatment.

In the footage, the woman is seen telling the governor that although she was registered under SHA, she had not been treated. The governor then gives her Sh1,000 and is reportedly heard questioning the programme’s effectiveness before directing her to a specific doctor for assistance.

The exchange has stirred intense online debate and drawn a sharp response from East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Falhada Iman Dekow, who said the episode points to deeper problems in how the flagship health scheme is being implemented.

“A Sh1,000 donation may be a kind gesture, but it does not address the real issue. Healthcare is a devolved function, and a sick resident needs access to treatment, not just charity,” she said.

Addressing residents in Garissa town, the EALA legislator questioned the claim that SHA is not operating effectively in the county, saying people should not be turned away from a programme that has been presented nationally as a remedy for long-standing healthcare gaps.

“What is troubling is the claim that SHA is not working in Garissa. If SHA is being promoted as a national healthcare solution, why should residents of any county be told it does not work there? Healthcare should not be selective, and public services should not be influenced by politics,” she said.

Falhada further pressed leaders to account for why residents are still struggling to access care despite repeated national assurances about the rollout and benefits of the scheme.

“The biggest irony is that the person tasked with championing SHA appears to have done little to promote it in his own county. Residents cannot be expected to benefit from a programme they are not adequately informed about or encouraged to enrol in,” she added.

She said leaders must ensure health services are delivered fairly and without discrimination.

“When people are denied access to services they are entitled to, it raises serious questions about accountability and commitment to public welfare,” she said.

The row erupted just days after President William Ruto said during Madaraka Day celebrations that more than 800,000 residents across the three North Eastern counties had enrolled in SHA, describing the numbers as proof that confidence in the programme is growing.

But the Garissa hospital episode has since widened the national debate over whether SHA is meeting its universal healthcare ambitions, with renewed calls for clearer answers on how well the scheme is working at county level.