The Ethiopian Health Insurance Service (EHIS) has formally launched the implementation of Social Health Insurance (SHI) for government employees in the formal health sector, effective January 22, 2026. While the official announcement was made last week, the rollout began on January 9 for registered members who received confirmation through SMS. The initial phase is being implemented as a pilot programme targeting health sector staff, with plans to scale up coverage to non-governmental sectors in urban and rural areas through integration with existing community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes. So far, about 181,000 staff members have been registered, bringing the total number of digital beneficiaries to 474,958, including family members. The scheme covers medical services across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels within government healthcare institutions, with 65pc of public health centres currently contracted to deliver services. Under the implementation framework, health sector employees are expected to receive medical care at their respective workplaces, supported by referral systems for services unavailable at their facilities. Other government employees are eligible to access care at registered public health institutions near their locations. Separate arrangements have also been made for World Health Organisation (WHO) staff, who will receive services at seven designated government referral hospitals. The insurance programme operates under a cost-sharing model, with the government contributing six percent of the premium and employees contributing three percent.

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