The government has threatened to blacklist hospitals which are not complying with President William Ruto’s directive to finalize enrollment with the Social Health Authority (SHA).
According to reports, 50% of private medical facilities onboard have been accused of denying services to Kenyans registered under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) scheme.
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Speaking on October 22, Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai said the facilities are deliberately refusing to use the system and are demanding cash from poor Kenyans.
Kimtai said the government will publish the names of facilities contracted and warned that those demanding for cash risk being blacklisted.
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“There are those who are giving us excuses that the system is not working properly – some very flimsy excuses. But now we want to publish them as the ones who have been contracted so that if a Kenyan goes there and is asked for cash up front, he will tell us the one who is demanding cash up front and we will take action against that particular facility,” said PS Kimtai.
Patients SHA Complaints
There has been a public outcry regarding the new healthcare system since its rollout three weeks ago.
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Patients have been forced to pay for services previously covered by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Pressure has been mounting on the government to address the emerging challenges experienced in the implementation of SHA.
However, Kimtai emphasized that some of the facilities deliberately refuse to use the system.
“Some of these facilities are deliberately refusing to use the system – not that the system is not working. A case in point is that for dialysis patients they use the system; for other patients, they don’t,” the PS said.
Establishment of County Committees
Kimtai also announced the establishment of County Multi-Sectoral Steering Committees to oversee the implementation of the SHA program across the country.
The committees are expected to visit more than 7,000 health facilities registered with the Authority.
The campaign will be spearheaded by County Commissioners and County Health Executive Committee Members (CECMs) to ensure smooth implementation of the new system in the counties.
Kimtai highlighted the importance of collaboration between national and county governments, stating that the involvement of key stakeholders strengthens the commitment to quality healthcare for all Kenyans.
The committees will monitor service delivery at registered health facilities to ensure access for everyone.
Also Read: SHA Issues Notice to Employers on Mandatory Deductions
Rollout Progress & Challenges
According to SHA CEO Elijah Wachira, the first problem in the rollout was a technical issue that was fixed immediately.
“The second problem is people learning to use the equipment, which is why we are going hospital by hospital training doctors and nurses on how to use this new equipment, which is better than what we used before,” he said.
He also emphasized the role of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in household registration which is vital for healthcare access.
The SHA program has registered over 13 million Kenyans and is set for further expansion, supported by the Digital Health Authority’s (DHA) efforts to digitize the system.
To enhance efficiency, the DHA has distributed 5,000 tablets to health facilities, with plans to distribute an additional 65,000 tablets.
Also Read: Concerns as Patients Share Bed at a Hospital in Nairobi
Ruto’s Directives
Speaking during the Mashujaa Day, President Ruto said healthcare remains a priority under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Ruto said 12.9 million Kenyans were registered with the SHA as of the beginning of October.
He explained that the government is advancing the scope of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to give every Kenyan access to promotive, preventive, curative and emergency services.
According to the President, all public health institutions, along with 50% of private facilities have already enrolled to provide services.
He called on private hospitals to speed up the contracting process to enable the government to complete the final phase of the UHC rollout.
“We urge private hospitals to expedite the contracting process to enable us to complete the final phase of the Universal Health Coverage rollout,” Ruto said.
To accelerate this rollout, the Government of Kenya has released Ksh 3 billion to settle outstanding payments to service providers.
The President said the government has released Ksh3 billion to settle outstanding payments to service providers to accelerate the rollout.
“The value for money in this scheme will be undeniable once the migration from the National Health Insurance Fund is completed and the fund is fully operational,” he said.
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