Difference Between Linda Mama and Linda Jamii 

In recent years, Kenya has witnessed significant shifts in its public maternity healthcare provision through two key initiatives: Linda Mama, introduced in 2013, and the subsequent program, Linda Jamii, which was unveiled in June 2025.

Both are designed to ensure expectant mothers have access to essential medical services. 

This article examines the specific coverage and benefits offered by each and the government's explanation for transitioning from Linda Mama.

Linda Mama 

Linda Mama was rolled out in June 2013, following a directive by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to abolish maternity fees in all public health facilities. As a result, the government allocated Ksh3.8 billion in the 2013/14 financial year to compensate health facilities for implementing the programme.

As designed by the previous administration, the program aimed to ensure that no mother was turned away from a public hospital due to an inability to pay. The program was run by the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which has been replaced by the Social Health Authority (SHA).

By covering antenatal care (ANC), delivery, and postnatal care (PNC), Linda Mama allowed mothers to access basic maternal services free of charge for one year.

Some of the key benefits under one-year Linda Mama health cover included:

Antenatal Care (before birth): The services included screening for hemoglobin levels, blood group, Rhesus factor, HIV testing, urinalysis, malaria prevention, and iron/folate supplementation.

Delivery Services: There was coverage for both normal and complicated deliveries.

Postnatal Care (after birth): This entailed services within 48 hours, 1–2 weeks, 4–6 weeks, and up to six months after delivery. The medical plan covered immunizations, family planning, cervical cancer screening, and HIV prevention measures.

Emergency services: Ambulance transport costs were also covered.

Outpatient and inpatient treatment: Mothers and newborns were also covered when receiving outpatient and inpatient services.

Eligibility was open to all Kenyan women, including those under 18 years (through guardians), with registration conducted via NHIF offices, Huduma Centres, hospitals, or mobile platforms.

For hospitals, the reimbursement rates were between Ksh2,500 and Ksh5,000 for public hospitals, and the rates for private facilities were set between Ksh3,500 and Ksh6,500.

Linda Jamii 

On June 21, 2025, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the launch of a revamped healthcare plan for expectant mothers named Linda Jamii.

The program is run under SHA and allows registered beneficiaries to benefit from comprehensive health coverage. SHA beneficiaries are required to pay 2.75% of their gross monthly income as contributions for the national health cover. Here are the features of the newly launched Linda Jamii.

Comprehensive coverage:  Linda Jamii also covers the entire maternal journey - from antenatal visits, through childbirth (normal and caesarean), to postnatal care and essential newborn services. It includes critical interventions like Anti-D serum for Rhesus-negative mothers, reducing risks in future pregnancies.

Family inclusion: One major difference between this cover and Linda Mama is that Linda Jamii allows SHA beneficiaries to register their spouses and children.

Duale added that teenage mothers deliver for free under the new health cover.

Reimbursement Rates: The reimbursement rates for hospitals include Ksh10,000 (from Ksh2,500) for normal deliveries and Ksh30,000 for c-section (from Ksh5,000).

Why the transition from Linda Mama Linda Jamii

According to CS Duale, the change was necessary as Linda Mama was limited only in terms of its coverage and reimbursement for hospitals.

“Under the defunct NHIF, the Linda Mama programme offered a reimbursement as low as KSh 2,500, with little regard for the quality of care provided. During that period, Kenya witnessed a worrying rise in maternal mortality rates as expectant mothers struggled to access comprehensive services,” he stated during a public engagement on September 30, 2025.

“With the introduction of Taifa Care, we have shifted the focus to the dignity and well-being of every mother and child. The programme guarantees quality prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care, ensuring that mothers are supported at every stage of their journey.”