Ruto: 138,000 police, prison officers get expanded health cover

More than 138,000 police and prison officers and their eligible dependants have been brought under a dedicated medical scheme as the Government expands healthcare access for security officers through Usalama Cover under the Social Health Authority.

President William Ruto highlighted the expanded medical cover on Friday during the passing-out parade for General Service Unit (GSU) Officers, Detail No. 1 of 2025, at the National Police College, Embakasi ‘B’ Campus.

The President said the provider network had expanded from 973 facilities under the previous private insurance arrangement to more than 8,000 facilities across all 47 counties, giving officers and their families greater choice and access to care wherever they live, work or are deployed.

The expanded cover provides access to outpatient and inpatient care, surgery, maternity, chronic and pre-existing conditions, as well as specialist, dental, optical and diagnostic services.

“Officers are no longer restricted to a narrow network of designated facilities and can access eligible services nationwide, with digital approvals processed in less than 15 minutes,” President Ruto said.

At the GSU Training School in Embakasi, he said the newly built SHA block at the GSU Health Centre would further strengthen access to care.

President Ruto also highlighted the expansion of mental-health and psychosocial support for police officers, noting that the demands of service can expose officers to trauma.

“We are also expanding mental-health and psychosocial support because courage does not make an officer immune to trauma, and seeking help must never be mistaken for weakness,” he said.

The healthcare measures were outlined as the National Police Service welcomed a new generation of highly trained and specialised elite GSU officers into the Service.

Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat, who has been at the forefront of the police welfare campaign, said the officers had trained hard and been tested in discipline, endurance, leadership and operational skills.

“As we mark this Golden Jubilee, we welcome a new generation of highly trained and specialised elite officers into the Service,” Lagat said.

Lagat said the goal was to raise the requisite police-to-citizen ratio and strengthen the capacity of the Service to keep people safe.

He also said the new officers were ready for a changing policing landscape in which technology was reshaping both crime and how police respond to it.

“Your Excellency, we present to you officers who are ready for the changing policing landscape. Technology is reshaping both crime and how we respond to it. These officers are prepared for the challenge,” he said.

The DIG urged the graduands to carry the lessons acquired at the National Police College into every assignment, describing the passing-out as the beginning of their professional journey.

“To our graduands, this is the beginning of your professional journey. Carry the lessons from this college into every assignment,” Lagat said.

The GSU Passing-Out Parade marked its 50th anniversary, a tradition Lagat said had continued to produce some of the finest officers in the Kenya Police Service.

President Ruto congratulated the graduands for completing the demanding course and earning the responsibility of serving in the red beret.

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