The new Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, has directed that all Social Health Authority claims owed to hospitals be paid by the 14th of every month in a bid to address the unease raised by the providers over the funds.
Speaking during a press briefing to mark the official handover of the docket from the outgoing CS Deborah Barasa, Duale affirmed that the government was fully committed to addressing the grievances raised by health service providers to enable the functionality of SHA.
"Moving forward, SHA will settle hospital claims by the 14th of every month, ensuring financial stability for healthcare providers," Duale affirmed.
Duale also fired another warning to health facilities, cautioning that facilities that will be found employing quack professionals will not be paid their SHA claims.
According to the CS, the directive will end instances of hospitals offering medical services that are below the standards, leading to health risks.
Further, Duale announced that a national health information system has been deployed to enhance service delivery in the health sector.
The CS also announced the restructuring of the National Equipment Service Program (NESP) to allow counties to pay for services based on service used rather than upfront costs.
"In the digital space, a national health information system has been deployed, with hospital management systems rolling out across counties to enhance service delivery. Additionally, the National Equipment Service Program (NESP) has restructured medical equipment access, allowing counties to pay based on service use rather than upfront costs,'' he announced.
To support hospitals, the CS announced that the government has disbursed Ksh25.4 billion to timely service delivery.
Further, the government has also equipped 107,831 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) with essential kits and smartphones while finalising CBA negotiations with healthcare unions to improve working conditions, the CS added.
On the ongoing reforms at Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), he revealed that Ksh6.5 billion was allocated to streamline medical supply and eliminate inefficiencies.
''The government is also accelerating the digitalisation of all public health facilities, with full implementation expected by October 2025,'' the CS stated.
"To improve accessibility, a 24/7 TaifaCare call center (dial 147) has been launched, providing immediate assistance to Kenyans seeking healthcare support."
Meanwhile, during the address, a whole different scene was ongoing outside the Afya House headquarters where UHC programs from various counties, including Trans Nzoia, Lamu, Meru, and Kwale, were protesting.
