The Social Health Authority (SHA) has been forced to eat humble pie after it emerged that teachers seeking In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment were being asked to produce marriage certificates a requirement that was never part of the deal signed with their union.
The confusion came to light after a high school teacher, who has been struggling with infertility for over eight years due to blocked fallopian tubes, was denied the life-changing procedure. When the government announced that IVF would be covered under the SHA Mwalimu Comprehensive Cover, she was filled with hope. But that hope quickly turned to disappointment when she visited the hospital and was told she had to provide proof of marriage.
"I went to the hospital and learnt that one of the conditions is that you have to show a marriage certificate," the teacher said. Her doctor applied for pre-authorisation, but SHA responded with a denial message listing the requirements for approval including a marriage certificate or an affidavit. The communication even instructed the teacher to physically present herself at SHA headquarters on the eighth floor, office number 811, with the documents.
The requirement caught many by surprise because fertility treatment had been included in a negotiated cover agreement between SHA and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) without any mention of marital status conditions. Union officials were quick to criticise SHA, accusing the authority of denying eligible members access to treatment based on conditions that were never agreed upon.
"There is no condition that we have signed with SHA that you must have a marriage certificate or proof of marriage. I think SHA is running away from shouldering the burden of treatment in that regard," said Moses Nthurima, KUPPET Deputy Secretary General.
KUPPET National Gender Secretary Juliet Kimotho was even more direct, arguing that the cover is for the teachers themselves, not their spouses. "This is a teacher who is paying, not a spouse. So, if I am the contributor, it is not SHA's business to know who my spouse is. We demand that they stop asking teachers to provide proof of marriage," she said.
Following the outcry, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale issued a statement on Wednesday, June 17, clarifying that a marriage certificate is not required for IVF services under SHA. "SHA wishes to clarify that a marriage certificate is not a requirement for accessing IVF services," the statement read. SHA CEO Dr Mercy Mwangangi explained that the reference to a marriage certificate in the communication was made in error.
The hospital has now been advised to resubmit the teacher's request through the appropriate verification and pre-authorisation process for review. However, KUPPET has indicated that they will pursue the matter to ensure it is fully rectified, maintaining that access to fertility treatment should never be tied to marital status.
For the teachers who had pinned their hopes on this cover to start families, the clarification brings relief but the incident has left many questioning whether SHA is genuinely committed to making healthcare accessible, or whether bureaucratic hurdles will continue to stand in the way.
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