The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Social Health Authority (SHA) to address persistent challenges affecting teachers’ access to medical services, warning that it will take decisive action if the problems are not resolved within the stipulated period.
The union says teachers across the country continue to face serious difficulties in accessing healthcare, despite commitments made by SHA to improve the medical scheme. Among the concerns raised are delays in treatment approvals, interrupted medical services, inadequate communication, and gaps in the delivery of healthcare to teachers and their dependents.
KUPPET has accused SHA of failing to fully implement the resolutions contained in two joint communiqués signed on March 10 and April 23, 2026. The agreements were reached after widespread complaints from teachers over inefficiencies in the medical cover and were meant to streamline service delivery, improve access to treatment, and restore confidence in the healthcare system.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori said the union has already written to the Social Health Authority demanding urgent intervention and full implementation of the agreed reforms.
According to Misori, the 30-day notice is intended to give SHA adequate time to assess the situation, correct the shortcomings, and ensure teachers receive the quality healthcare they are entitled to.
He warned that if the authority fails to deliver meaningful improvements within the deadline, the union will convene its governing organs to determine the next course of action, which could include industrial measures aimed at protecting teachers’ welfare.
The warning comes three months after KUPPET and SHA reached an agreement on measures designed to improve healthcare services following mounting complaints from teachers over delays in accessing treatment, denial of services at some hospitals, and administrative bottlenecks that have left many members frustrated.
Teachers have previously reported being turned away from hospitals, experiencing long waiting periods before receiving treatment, and encountering difficulties in obtaining approvals for specialized care. The union argues that these challenges have continued despite assurances from the health authority that reforms would be implemented.
KUPPET maintains that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental employment benefit and says teachers should not be forced to endure delays or uncertainty whenever they seek medical attention.
The union is now calling on SHA to honor its commitments, implement all agreed reforms without further delay, and restore confidence in the teachers’ medical scheme before the expiry of the 30-day ultimatum.
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