Private Hospitals Fire Back After Govt Threat to Shut them Down Over Ruto Billions

Health Principal Secretary (PS) Harry Kimtai’s threat to revoke licenses of private hospitals which fail to comply with the Social Health Authority (SHA) regulations on outpatient services has sparked criticism from Kenyans and stakeholders.

Speaking on Monday, March 17, Kimtai reminded private hospitals that they are subject to licensing requirements and warned them against turning away patients seeking outpatient services.

Kenya’s Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association (RUPHA) has since responded to Kimtai’s warning.

In a statement, RUPHA representatives said they are hopeful that the Ministry of Health (MoH) and SHA will implement the commitments made by President William Ruto.

RUPHA asked PS Kimtai to gazette the SHA debt verification committee as President Ruto directed.

“PS Harry we remain hopeful that the commitments made by the President William Ruto will be implemented by the Ministry of Health and SHA,” reads part of the statement.

“Go ahead and gazette the claims verification committee as instructed by the President, this is 5 days past the due date. Start paying.”

Speaking after launching a public health management system digitization program in Embu, Kimtai said the government’s statistics and data show that most of the private facilities are not participating in outpatient services, which is the primary healthcare funding.

Further, he emphasized that private hospitals are mandated to deliver outpatient services in accordance with the SHA regulations.

Kimtai said the government had shown hospitals the statistics to establish why they are not participating.

“If private hospitals continue like this, if they are not compliant and don’t want to provide services to Kenyans, then they will have to close shop because they are also subject to license renewal,” Kimtai said.

Private Hospitals Suspend SHA Services

In February, more than 600 hospitals affiliated to RUPHA threatened suspend all SHA services in their facilities.

RUPHA claimed that the government owes them Ksh30 billion in arrears from the former National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

The Association said the debts dating from 2017 to the time of transition to SHA had hampered their operations.

Also Read: Health CS Announces Enhanced SHA Packages for Various Services

Payment of NHIF Claims & Verification Committee

Speaking on March 5, President Ruto said the government would fully pay all health facilities with claims of Ksh10 million and below contracted by NHIF.

Ruto said the claims affecting public, faith-based and private hospitals equate to 91 percent of the total facilities under NHIF.

Additionally, Ruto directed the Health CS Deborah Barasa to establish a verification committee to scrutinize hospitals with claims above Ksh10 million.

Also Read: SHA Clarifies Paying Ruto’s Home Hospital Ksh345 Million

Barasa was to gazette the verification committee within a week.

He said these hospitals will undergo a verification exercise that should be completed within 90 days, after which a payment plan will be agreed on.

“The remaining 9 per cent of hospitals, with total claims of above Ksh.10 million, will be subjected to a verification exercise that should be completed within 90 days, after which a payment plan will be agreed on,” Ruto said.

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