Faith-based health facilities have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government, demanding the clearance of outstanding claims amounting to Ksh.10 billion.
Failure to settle these payments will force the hospitals to suspend services for Social Health Authority (SHA) beneficiaries, requiring them to pay in cash instead.
According to a statement from the hospitals, the government owes them:
- Ksh.6.8 billion in unpaid claims under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF)
- Ksh.2.15 billion under the SHA scheme
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- Ksh.1 billion from MAKL (Teachers, Police, and Prisons Scheme)
The mounting debt has severely impacted faith-based health facilities, leading to job losses, unpaid suppliers, and the looming threat of closure. The hospitals also criticized the slow processing of SHA claims, stating that the delays resemble the inefficiencies previously seen under NHIF.
"Clinical review claims often remain unprocessed for over five months, which is an area that urgently needs improvement," the statement noted.
Additionally, the hospitals pointed out that SHA suffers from insufficient staff, making it difficult to effectively support both county and national hospitals. They urged the government to increase staffing and conduct training programs to streamline SHA operations.
Faith-based hospitals also advocate for the MAKL scheme to be integrated into SHA to enhance financial sustainability.
"The Kenya Faith-Based Health Services Providers demand immediate payment of outstanding NHIF, SHA, and MAKL claims totaling Ksh.10 billion.
If the government fails to settle these debts within 14 days, we will have no choice but to suspend services for insured patients and shift to cash payments only," the statement concluded.
