SHA paid Sh11.4 billion to hospitals in three months, MOH says

Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa Mulongo,address press on 5th March 2025 at SHA Building located at Upperhill. [Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

The Social Health Authority (SHA) paid over Sh11.4 billion to various hospitals in the past three months, a report by the Ministry of Health has revealed.

A record from the Ministry of Health shows that private, public, mission, and faith-based hospitals were paid between December 3 last year and February 3 this year for SHA services.

However, Rural-Urban and Private Hospitals Association (RUPHA) chairperson Brian Lishenga punched holes in the report saying it does show the true picture.

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) got the highest amount of over Sh379.8 million, followed by Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRG) at over Sh358 million.

Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) received Sh345.1 million, according to a 20-page document detailing payments made to various hospitals in the last three months.

Other facilities with the highest payment include Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, Nakuru (Sh179,543,911), Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (Sh132,343,775), AIC Kijabe (Sh122,767,559), Nairobi West Hospital (Sh129,273,579), North Kinangop Catholic Hospital (Sh103,455,944), Tenwek Hospital (Sh80,342,471) and Meru Doctors Plaza Limited (Sh73,585,962).

The 10 counties that received the highest payments are Nairobi, Uasin Gishu, Kisii, Kiambu, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Wajir, Meru, Nakuru, Mandera and Migori.

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Health Cabinet Secretary Dr Deborah Barasa had hinted at making hospital payments public for transparency purposes despite resistance by some hospitals.

“I have tasked my team to tabulate and show the people of Kenya how much private, mission, and public hospitals have earned,” Dr. Barasa told The Standard in an interview two weeks ago.

“They said (hospitals)—‘Please do not show Kenyans how much you have been paying us. But we told them we shall show the list to Kenyans, who we have paid and how much, so that we are clear,” said the CS.

She defended the move, saying Kenyans asked for transparency.

“Kenyans will see how much SHA has paid so that we are clear. They are tainting SHA,” said Dr. Barasa.

Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association Chairman Brian Lishenga during an interview at The Standard Group Offices on February 25,2025. [Benard Orwongo,Standard]

However, some hospitals said such information would expose their businesses.

But RUPHA’s Lishenga said the payment list should be accompanied by collections from Kenyans, since SHA was actualised in October last year.

“Let them publish the payments against the collections,” he said.

The key missing information, according to RUPHA, is the percentage of claims per hospital, what has been settled, and what is yet to be paid by the authority.

“They should include information on the outstanding payment. What they have paid and what they are yet to pay so that the picture is complete,” he said.

Dr. Lishenga added that prior to December 3, 2024, SHA was not making any payments.

He said the percentages indicated on the payment of SHA are not clear.

“We want to know what percentage of pay goes to each hospital. If you say I have paid a provider Sh5 million, it should include percentages,” said Lishenga.

As the SHA payment is made public, hospitals, including private, public, and faith-based hospitals, are demanding payment of NHIF debt running to billions of shillings.

Last Friday, faith-based hospitals issued a 14-day ultimatum to the ministry to settle a Sh10 billion debt, failure to which patients will have to pay cash to receive services.

According to the hospitals, the debt includes Sh6.8 billion owed by defunct NHIF, Sh2.2 billion unpaid SHA claims, and Sh1 billion under the Medical Assistance and Loans for Livelihoods.