Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has suspended 40 hospitals from the Social Health Authority (SHA) programme, for engaging in fraudulent practices.
Speaking during a news briefing on Friday, Duale said that the Ministry will publish the names of the suspended hospitals in a Gazette Notice after they are investigated by the DCI.
According to the CS, the suspension will not be lifted until the facilities comply with all SHA regulations.
"Therefore, the Social Health Authority has suspended these health facilities found to have engaged in corruption and theft of public resources," the CS announced.
Duale also explained that during the period of investigations, the hospitals are not entitled to receive any benefits from SHA adding that the government will recover any money paid to the facilities based on fraudulent claims.
''Furthermore, we will be surcharging them to recover any money already paid to them on the basis of any fraudulent claims,'' Duale further continued.
The CS outlined several fraudulent activities that the hospitals had engaged in, including multiple billing of patients and labelling outpatients as inpatients in order to overprice services.
The Ministry has also suspended eight doctors from Nairobi, Bungoma and Kilifi counties for their direct involvement in the schemes.
Four clinicians associated with facilities in Nairobi and Homa Bay Counties have also been suspended.
''In accordance with clause 16, sub clause 4.5 of the facility contract, SHA has immediately from this minute withdrawn the user rights for these doctors and clinical officers from all the authority and the digital health platforms. We have also informed the KMPDU to implement the decision made today,'' the CS continued.
The CS urged all health care providers to keep in mind that they owe Kenyans a duty of care, emphasising that all medical procedures can be performed or paid for by SHA.
''Any healthcare provider whose information is used to defraud SHA shall be held personally liable,'' the CS warned.
