The Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors have agreed to extend existing Social Health Authority (SHA) contracts for county public health facilities to October 14, 2026, allowing services and claims to continue as facilities complete the new 2026–2029 contracting process.
The agreement was reached on Monday, October 5, during a consultative meeting at Afya House, Nairobi, bringing together the Ministry of Health, the Council of Governors, SHA and health regulatory agencies.
The two sides also agreed to a 30-day compliance moratorium on five documents, including NSSF compliance certificates, NEMA licences, fire safety compliance certificates, NCPWD compliance certificates and Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) certificates.
Under the agreement, county facilities that meet all other contracting requirements will be contracted on a conditional basis and given 30 days to submit the outstanding documents.
“The moratorium defers the document, not the statutory duty,” the joint communiqué said.
The government said the extension would ensure continuity of services and claims while facilities complete the new contracting requirements.
“Current contracts have been extended to 14th October 2026, so that services and claims continue while facilities complete contracting,” the communiqué said.
It added that the 2026–2029 contracting framework “will not be deferred” and that there would be “no further extension” beyond October 14.
The Ministry and governors further agreed that each county health facility would retain its own contract, with payments continuing to be made into the facility's own Facility Improvement Financing account.
The agreement also allows SHA to accept documents held at county level for county facilities, including county KRA PIN and tax compliance certificates, NSSF compliance certificates where staff are employed and paid by the county, and the county's ODPC registration certificate covering the listed facilities.
For Level 2, 3 and some Level 4 facilities that have never been audited, the latest audited county financial statements will apply. Level 4 and 5 facilities that have been audited will provide their own latest audited financial statements.
SHA will also accept county-approved fee schedules as facility price lists, while services covered by SHA will be paid at SHA tariffs or negotiated rates.
On claims, the two sides agreed that SHA will pay for services properly delivered and validly claimed. Clean claims are to be paid within 90 days of receipt and in the order received.
“A valid claim may be deferred but is not extinguished,” the communiqué said.
Where a fund is short of money, affected facilities will be notified within seven days, while unpaid clean claims will become certified liabilities and be carried forward as the first charge on the next appropriation.
SHA will run HAKIKA contracting clinics in every county from October 5 to October 14 to help facilities complete their applications.
A Joint Technical Committee comprising SHA, the Council of Governors and county health departments will oversee implementation and resolve emerging issues.
SHA is also scheduled to meet County Executive Committee Members for Health on October 6, while the Council will support all Level 5 hospitals to complete their transition to the Health Management Information System by October 30.