Patients seeking medical care in private hospitals may soon face tough times after the Rural Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) announced the suspension of their participation in the Social Health Authority (SHA) program.
In a statement released on Tuesday, RUPHA said the government owes its member facilities more than KSh 10 billion in unpaid claims, a backlog that has crippled operations in many hospitals.
The association noted that most private facilities, especially those in rural areas, are struggling to sustain services due to delayed reimbursements. Some hospitals, they warned, are on the verge of shutting down as they can no longer afford to pay staff, buy medicine, or run essential services.
‘We cannot continue to admit patients under SHA when payments are not forthcoming. The government must urgently clear arrears amounting to KSh 10 billion to restore confidence in the program,” RUPHA said.
The suspension is expected to affect thousands of patients who rely on the scheme to access affordable healthcare. Many may now be forced to pay out-of-pocket or seek alternatives in public facilities, which are already overstretched.
RUPHA has urged the Ministry of Health and the Treasury to urgently address the crisis, warning that continued neglect will jeopardize universal health coverage plans and worsen inequalities in access to medical care.
Government officials are yet to issue a formal response, but insiders suggest negotiations are ongoing to resolve the standoff.
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