The government has issued a stern warning to private hospitals that are refusing to use the Social Health Authority (SHA) system, which supports Kenyans registered under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

Following President William Ruto’s directive for private hospitals to finalize their enrollment with SHA, nearly 50% of these facilities have been accused of denying services to SHIF patients, demanding cash instead.

Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai, speaking in Mombasa, condemned these hospitals for disregarding the system and exploiting poor Kenyans.

He cautioned that any facility continuing this behaviour risks being blacklisted.

“Some facilities give flimsy excuses about the system not working.

We want to publish their names so that when a Kenyan is asked for cash upfront, they can report it, and action will be taken against the facility,” warned PS Kimtai.

Since the SHA system rollout three weeks ago, there has been public frustration as many patients, previously covered by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), have been forced to pay out of pocket.

This has increased pressure on the government to address the growing challenges faced in the implementation of the new healthcare system.

PS Kimtai emphasized that many hospitals are deliberately refusing to use the system, despite it functioning properly.

“For dialysis patients, they use the system; for others, they don’t,” he pointed out, illustrating the inconsistency in services provided.

To ensure smooth implementation, 47 county technical steering committees have been established to oversee more than 7,000 health facilities registered with SHA.

County Commissioners and County Health Executive Committee Members (CECMs) are leading the campaign to ensure that all hospitals in the counties adopt the new system.

Josephine Onunga, the County Commissioner of Taita Taveta, assured the public that faith-based organizations are also involved in monitoring progress.

“We are working closely with them to ensure every county sees progress,” she said.

SHA CEO Elijah Wachira addressed technical concerns, noting that initial issues with the system were resolved, and ongoing training is being provided to doctors and nurses.

“This new equipment is far superior to what was used before,” he added.

With Ksh.1.5 billion recently disbursed to health facilities, the government promises another Ksh.3 billion to settle pending bills within the next 90 days, ensuring hospitals are properly funded for their services.