President William Ruto has announced plans to include free diapers for new mothers in the Social Health Authority (SHA) benefits package, reviving a commitment he made during the 2022 election campaign. Speaking during the Presidential Town Hall at the Kenya International Convention Centre (KICC) on Tuesday, August 18, Ruto said the government was finalising the changes needed to deliver the benefit under the expanded SHA package. Ruto said the government intends to have the benefit included in the SHA package by October 30, 2026, meaning mothers giving birth in eligible health facilities could begin accessing diapers under the revised arrangement once the changes are implemented.
The announcement was made during the two-day Kenya Health Summit, which brought together national and county government officials, health professionals, development partners and other stakeholders to review Kenya’s health reforms and priorities for Universal Health Coverage. The summit is being held at KICC from August 18 to 19.
The diaper proposal is not a new pledge.
During the 2022 campaign, Ruto promised that mothers would receive diapers after giving birth as part of an expanded health insurance package. At the time, the proposal was linked to the then-existing National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). Ruto has now tied the commitment to the SHA framework, which replaced NHIF as part of the government’s wider restructuring of health financing. Speaking at the KICC town hall, the President said he intended to fulfil the commitments made during his first-term campaign and ensure that mothers leaving hospital after giving birth would receive diapers. The latest announcement therefore shifts the proposed benefit from a campaign promise to a planned component of the government’s ongoing review of SHA benefits.
While Ruto provided a target date for inclusion of the benefit, the government has not yet publicly specified how many diapers each mother would receive, the brands or types that would qualify, or the mechanism through which mothers would access them. Kenyans.co.ke reported that the proposed benefit would form part of support provided to mothers giving birth in government-covered health facilities, alongside maternal and newborn healthcare. The absence of those operational details means the October 30 date should be understood as the government’s stated implementation target rather than evidence that the benefit is already available. Further guidelines will be necessary to establish eligibility, distribution arrangements and how the cost will be handled within the SHA financing structure.
The diaper proposal is part of a broader review of the SHA benefits package. Ruto said the government is reviewing the package to expand coverage to additional illnesses and medical conditions as it continues implementing health-sector reforms. The President has also announced other changes around SHA during the health summit, including plans to incorporate more than 107,000 Community Health Promoters into the scheme. The government has said their SHA contributions will be supported by both the national and county governments. The measures are being presented as part of the administration’s wider effort to expand access to healthcare and strengthen financial protection for households.
If implemented as announced, the diaper benefit would address one of the costs faced by families immediately after childbirth, when households may also have to meet expenses for transport, food, medication and newborn care. However, the practical impact will depend on how the programme is designed and implemented. The government will need to clarify whether diapers will be issued directly at health facilities, provided through an approved supplier network or accessed through another SHA mechanism. It will also need to establish the number of diapers covered and the period for which the benefit will apply.
Ruto’s latest announcement therefore marks a renewed commitment to provide post-delivery support to mothers, but the specific terms of the programme remain to be announced. For now, the government’s stated target is to have free diapers included in the SHA benefits package by October 30, 2026, subject to the completion of the necessary policy and implementation arrangements.