More than 400,000 teachers employed by The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will from December 1, 2025 will transition to Social Health Authority (SHA).
TSC reached an agreement with the teachers’ union that ends uncertainty over the future of their health-benefit cover.
Who qualifies as a dependent
Under the SHA scheme:
- A principal member (in this case a teacher) may declare a spouse.
- Up to five children may be covered as dependents.
- Children may remain eligible up to 25 years old if they’re wholly dependent on the teacher and enrolled in full-time post-secondary education.
- A child (or other dependent) with a disability who is wholly dependent on the principal member has no age limit on coverage under the scheme.
If a teacher want to include more than five children, this is possible , but it will require paying an additional premium.
How to register or update dependents in the SHA portal
Visit the SHA website at sha.go.ke and click “Register” (if you’re registering fresh) or “Login” (if you already have an account) to update your information.
You can also register via USSD: dial *147#, then follow the prompts and accept the terms and conditions.
Alternatively, you can visit a SHA branch, a Huduma Centre, or the TSC’s county/sub-county office for assistance on enrolment.
After logging in, go to the “My Profile” tab, then select “Dependents” to add, view or update your dependents list.
When adding or updating a dependent, you’ll be required to upload specific documents:
- A spouse: Their National ID and proof of marriage, plus the spouse’s phone number (an OTP will be sent to them for consent).
- A child: the birth certificate or notification.
- An adopted child: the adoption order.
- A child under guardianship: a will, deed, court order, or other legal document as provided for by the Children’s Act.
- A person with a disability: their ID and a certificate from the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD).
- Persons under lawful custody: for example, a prison admissions number, remand identification number, or copy of the ID.
Once you have uploaded everything, review the details carefully and click “Save”.
You’ll receive confirmation once the dependent has been successfully added.
SHA will verify your submission and notify you when the verification is complete.
Changing a declared spouse
Should you need to change the spouse you’ve declared:
For a first-time spouse change, a waiting period of 30 days applies before the new spouse becomes eligible for services.
For any subsequent spouse changes, the waiting period is six months, unless the change is due to the death of the previous spouse ( in that case no waiting period applies).