The government has reassured Kenyans that it is actively addressing the historical debts owed by the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to hospitals, including Sh19 billion due to healthcare providers.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura confirmed that Sh5.05 billion has already been disbursed, with Sh938 million allocated to faith-based hospitals.
An additional Sh2.5 billion is set to be released in the coming days.
“The government is committed to clearing these pending bills to ensure healthcare providers can continue offering essential services to Kenyans,” Mwaura stated.
He emphasized the government’s dedication to achieving Universal Health Coverage through the shift to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
“This transformation will enable all Kenyans to access preventive, promotive, palliative, and curative services,” he added. Over 14 million Kenyans have enrolled in SHIF, with many sharing positive feedback on the scheme’s impact.
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops on Thursday criticized the government for what they termed a “culture of lies,” accusing it of failing to pay outstanding NHIF dues to faith-based health facilities, which they said have been severely affected. They highlighted that Catholic-run hospitals, in particular, are among those most impacted by the delays.
In response, Health CS Deborah Barasa assured stakeholders that the government is actively working to address the concerns. The Social Health Authority (SHA), which now manages health insurance claims, has been tasked with reconciling and clearing NHIF claims for October and November 2024.
The NHIF previously had agreements with 8,886 healthcare providers, including public, private, and faith-based institutions, with 312 of these being faith-based organizations.
Mwaura acknowledged the bishops’ concerns and welcomed their advocacy for Kenyans’ well-being. “We value the engagement of the bishops and remain committed to resolving the issues affecting healthcare service delivery,” he said.
Barasa reiterated that the SHA is working diligently to ensure all pending payments are cleared promptly, paving the way for uninterrupted healthcare services across the country.
