Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale has announced that all teenage mothers in Kenya will now deliver free of charge under the Social Health Authority (SHA) programme. The initiative, unveiled during his address at UMMA University on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, is part of the government’s ongoing reforms to strengthen maternal and family healthcare.
Landmark Progress in Maternal Health
Highlighting SHA’s impact, CS Duale revealed that within just nine months of implementation, 627,155 mothers have delivered through the programme, against Kenya’s national annual average of about 1.1 million births. Of these, 41,000 were teenage mothers, all of whom benefited from fully covered delivery costs.
“In fact, all teenage mothers in our country, if they deliver, will deliver free,” Duale affirmed.
The SHA programme covers the entire maternal journey—from prenatal care to safe delivery, including Caesarean procedures when needed, as well as postnatal follow-up for both mother and child.
Linda Mama Transition and Enhancement
Addressing concerns over the future of the Linda Mama programme, Duale clarified that it has not been scrapped but enhanced. Previously, Linda Mama offered limited financial support (between Ksh2,000 and Ksh5,000) and restricted access mainly to dispensaries and health centres.
The enhanced scheme now falls under a broader Linda Jamii cover, which includes:
- Antenatal, postnatal, and delivery care
- Coverage for the mother, child, and family
- Expanded access to higher-level health facilities
“What we have done is enhanced the cover of Linda, specifically of the mother, and added the family and the children,” Duale explained.
A More Integrated System
According to CS Duale, these reforms mark a shift towards a more integrated health system with financial protection for all families, championed under President William Ruto’s administration.
With these changes, Kenya is positioning itself as a leader in maternal and child healthcare access in the region, ensuring that vulnerable groups—particularly teenage mothers—receive critical support during one of the most important stages of life.
