Teenage Mothers to Receive Free Health Services as Government Rolls Out Special SHIF Health Cards.

In a groundbreaking move aimed at tackling adolescent maternal health challenges, Kenya’s government has unveiled a new health initiative granting free comprehensive health services to teenage mothers via specially issued Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) cards.Under the revamped plan, expectant and new adolescent mothers—identified by community health promoters—will receive unique SHIF identification numbers, bypassing the need for national ID cards to access care. The move addresses long-standing barriers teenagers face, including stigma, bureaucratic hurdles, and lack of identification.