Kenyans covered under the Social Health Authority (SHA) can now access the overseas treatment benefits package following the conclusion of the empanelment of overseas providers by the authority.
SHA CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi, while speaking to Citizen TV, announced that the SHA overseas treatment benefits package will start on Tuesday, April 14.
“So we’re very pleased to inform Kenyans that starting on the 14th of April in the coming week, we will now be able to have Kenyans come in to SHA and access the overseas treatment package,” she said.
“We have heard you. There’s been a lot of hue and cry from Kenyans wanting to access this package and we’ve finally been able to meet the merits of the law. We have finally been able to do the contracting process.”
SHA Lists 9 Hospitals to Offer Overseas Treatment for Kenyans
Dr. Mwangangi revealed that SHA has approved nine overseas facilities located in India, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.
Four hospitals under the Acıbadem network in Turkey have been listed among facilities approved to offer overseas treatment to Kenyans, each providing specialized and advanced medical services.
The first is Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University Atakent Hospital, a JCI-accredited academic medical center and teaching hospital that specializes in oncology, cardiovascular surgery, organ transplants, and robotic surgery.
The second, Acıbadem Maslak Hospital, is both JCI-accredited and LEED Gold-certified. It is the largest facility in the Acıbadem network and is known for comprehensive cancer care, including advanced MR-Linac radiation technology, spine health services, and robotic-assisted surgery.
The third facility, Acıbadem Altunizade Hospital, is equipped with a Triple Hybrid Operating Theatre system that integrates real-time diagnostic technologies, including a 3 Tesla MRI, a 128-slice CT scanner, and a robotic angiography system.
It is a recognized center for neurological sciences, cell therapy, and bone marrow transplantation.
The fourth, Acıbadem Adana Hospital, serves as a regional referral facility with specialized units in pediatric oncology, pediatric hematology, pediatric bone marrow transplantation, IVF, and cardiovascular surgery.
Hospitals in India and Saudi Arabia Approved
In India, two hospitals have been contracted to provide specialized treatment for Kenyan patients.
The first is KIMS Hospitals, a major multi-specialty chain with NABH and AACI accreditation operating across five states.
The facility specializes in cardiac sciences, organ transplantation, neurosciences, and quaternary care, positioning itself among India’s largest healthcare networks offering advanced treatment at relatively affordable costs.
The second is Apollo Proton Cancer Center in Chennai, India’s first JCI-accredited cancer hospital and the only proton therapy center in South Asia and the Middle East.
The facility provides a fully integrated oncology suite that covers surgical, radiation, and medical oncology, with robotic surgery playing a central role in cancer treatment.
In Saudi Arabia, Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital in Jeddah has also been contracted. It was the first private hospital in the kingdom to receive JCI accreditation in 2006 and operates as an academic medical center.
The hospital has recorded several medical milestones, including Saudi Arabia’s first IVF procedure, the first private-sector kidney transplant, and the first robotic surgery program in the private sector.
It also offers advanced neurosurgery and comprehensive organ transplant services.
Also on the list is the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, a globally recognized non-profit referral institution known for its expertise in complex oncology, organ transplantation, genomic medicine, and neurosciences.
Its Heart Center is the only facility in the Gulf region performing heart transplants and made global headlines in 2024 after conducting the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant.
How the Facilities will Work with Kenyan Hospitals
All contracted overseas hospitals have partnered with local providers in Kenya for follow-up care.
For instance, a facility such as Apollo may assign a local hospital to handle post-treatment care once a patient returns to the country.
The local provider is expected to notify SHA upon the patient’s return and oversee follow-up care for up to two weeks, after which the case file is closed and payments processed.
The SHA CEO said the authority had published a list of 36 conditions whose specialized treatment is not available locally and will be referred for overseas treatment.
Dr Mwangangi said the listed procedures were reviewed by the Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel, led by Professor Walter Jaoko, and meet the criteria for treatments not available locally.
Health CS Aden Duale during a past visit to KUTRRH. PHOTO/KUTRRH
Annah Nanjala Wekesa is a journalist at The Kenya Times, with a passion for crafting news-worthy stories that leave a lasting impact. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media from Kisii University. She has honed her skills in the art of storytelling and journalism. Her passion lies in the art of storytelling that resonates with audiences, driving a commitment to delivering news-worthy stories through the lens of integrity and precision. She can be reached at [email protected]
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
