First 10,000 prisoners join Social Health Authority

Anne Kangero-KNA

A total of 10,000 prisoners have been registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA) and now can access affordable and quality healthcare.

Principal Secretary of the State Department for Correctional Services, Dr Salome Muhia has said the government targets to register 60,000 inmates across the country with SHA.

“10,000 prisoners have been registered for SHA, and we anticipate registering all 60,000 prisoners in Kenya since Article 43 of the constitution provides that healthcare is a right and is to be extended to the inmates,” she said at the Machakos GK Prison during the monthly tree planting Greening Kenya exercise.

She added that all Kenyans are entitled to affordable and quality healthcare including all inmates in prison and those in probation centers.

During the tree-planting exercise, the PS and other prison officials planted 1500 trees at the prison and the probation Office.

She disclosed that the Department expects to plant 50,000 trees in all correctional facilities across the country.

“We anticipate planting in excess of 50,000 trees that Correctional Services have planted across the country in compliance with greening Kenya by 2032,” she said.

She highlighted the efforts of convicts in correctional facilities, where they learn farming as part of vocational training.

The convicts water and care for the trees, contributing to environmental sustainability and supporting the presidential directive to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.

County governments and other well-wishers have supported the initiative by constructing boreholes to supplement water supply during dry seasons. This water helps sustain the trees planted around prisons and probation offices across the country.

The officials conducted an inspection of the Machakos probation offices and the prison to assess ongoing initiatives and carry out a needs assessment aimed at ensuring effective rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.