The Kenya Renal Association has raised concerns about the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA) 's failure to enhance dialysis services across the country.
Kidney care experts pointed out that the now-defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) left behind a debt of over Ksh.10 billion to dialysis service providers, with no formal plan to resolve the crisis.
"We are alarmed by the NHIF's failure to update reimbursement rates in line with market trends and to settle claims fully. This financial deficit has caused the closure of several dialysis centers, erasing much of the progress made," the association stated.
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Patients are now facing life-threatening challenges, as many are unable to register under the SHA system, forcing them to make expensive out-of-pocket payments.
Furthermore, dialysis providers are operating without formal contracts as SHA requires, and the anticipated digital contract system has yet to be implemented, leaving providers in a precarious legal situation.
"Providers have been warned of repercussions if they request out-of-pocket payments from patients, despite the lack of an operational digital claims system under SHA. Using the outdated NHIF claim system poses financial risks, as they are dealing with a defunct entity," the statement added.
The Kenya Renal Association has submitted several recommendations to SHA, urging immediate action to close critical gaps in kidney care services. These include the need for clear, consistent guidelines for patients and dialysis providers to ensure seamless and dependable service delivery.
Additionally, they are calling for the expedition of formal contracts between SHA and dialysis providers and the establishment of temporary contracts in the meantime to provide legal assurance to all involved parties, including patients.
They also demand that the Ksh.10 billion debt left by NHIF be paid to healthcare providers to ensure the continued availability of essential dialysis services.
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