As the battle over the payment of claims owed to private hospitals continues to take shape, the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) and the Kenya Association of Private Hospitals have raised fresh concerns with the government.
RUPHA Chairperson Brian Lishenga has urged the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Deborah Barasa, to establish the Dispute Resolution Tribunal to help resolve the ongoing impasse between the Social Health Authority and private hospitals in Kenya.
Speaking on Citizen TV, Lishenga questioned why CS Baras had taken so long to make appointments to the tribunal, despite the law requiring this to be done within six months.
"The law and the regulations are very clear that in case there is a dispute, you can complain to the Dispute Resolution Tribunal. Is there such a tribunal? Why is it that six months down the line we have not seen such?" Lishenga asked.
Further, RUPHA asked the government to hasten the creation of the benefits and tariffs committee, which had also been delayed.
Additionally, Lishenga demanded that CS Barasa address the establishment of the Primary Health Advisory Council to tackle the glaring gaps the Social Health Authority is struggling with.
"Why is it that we do not have a benefits and tariffs committee six months down the line? There is also the issue of the Primary Health Advisory Council, which is supposed to have helped SHA at the national level. All these are supposed to be set up by the CS."
Furthermore, RUPHA also criticised the Principal Secretary for Health, Harry Kimtai, over what they termed as attempts to undermine President William Ruto.
This came after the PS threatened to shut down private hospitals boycotting SHA over unsettled debts, despite Ruto's directive for some of the debts to be settled.
"As far as NHIF liabilities are concerned, the President has pronounced himself and committed to pay. We do not expect the PS to come out in public and begin to contradict the statements that have been made by the President," Lishenga added.
"PS Kimtai, under the previous regime, was dealing with livestock. He should realise that he is now dealing with human beings and not livestock."
Meanwhile, the Kenya Association of Private Hospitals on Tuesday called for urgent talks over unpaid claims and condemned PS Kimtai for the threats to revoke licences over SHA concerns.
