Kenyan government to disburse US$35M to faith-based healthcare providers

KENYA – Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Harry Kimtai, has met with religious leaders at Ufungamano House to address the challenges surrounding the transition to the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA).

This move follows widespread complaints that patients are being turned away from faith-based healthcare facilities due to financial constraints.

A significant concern raised during the meeting was the mounting debts the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) owes to healthcare providers.

Faith-based organizations, which play a crucial role in healthcare service delivery, have been particularly affected, with many facilities struggling to stay operational due to delayed payments.

In response to these concerns, Kimtai announced that the government has secured KES 1.5 billion (US$ 11.62 million) for immediate disbursement to healthcare facilities.

 Moreover, an additional KES 3 billion (US$23.25 million) is expected to be released in the coming week, which will provide further relief to these institutions.

He assured stakeholders that claims dating from October 1 would be prioritized to prevent further debt accumulation.

To tackle the ongoing challenges, Kimtai revealed that faith-based organizations (FBOs) would now be incorporated into technical teams that are tasked with addressing the operational issues at healthcare facilities.

These teams are expected to conduct on-site visits to assess the situation and provide practical solutions to the identified challenges.

Additionally, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with FBOs, plans to launch a nationwide campaign to encourage Kenyans to register for the Social Health Authority.

This registration drive aims to ensure that more citizens can access healthcare services through the SHA, which is designed to provide comprehensive coverage.

Mr. Kimtai also confirmed that the NHIF currently owes healthcare facilities a staggering KES 30 billion (US$232.30 million), with counties owed amounts ranging between KES 8 billion (US$61.94 million) and KES 12 billion (US$92.92 million).

However, he assured the public that all pending bills would be settled within 90 days, a move expected to stabilize the healthcare sector and restore confidence among service providers.

Regarding the technical challenges in rolling out the SHA system, Kimtai stated that engineers are actively working to resolve the issues.

He also emphasized that additional training for health workers is ongoing to ensure a smooth transition to the new system and improve service delivery nationwide.

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