Hard truths. Bold Insights. Real talk.
The latest findings by the National Assembly Committee on Health show that one year after SHA took over from NHIF, many hospitals have continued to wait for funds that were already approved but never paid.
Ruto stressed that effective health services start long before hospital visits. He spotlighted the deployment of 107,000 community health promoters in September 2023, the largest primary healthcare workforce ever in Kenya. These promoters have visited 8.9 million households, conducted 9.9 million diabetes screenings identifying 134,000 cases, and carried out 6.5 million hypertension screenings that confirmed 305,000 cases.
The survey shows that 12 percent of Nairobi and Kiambu residents reported having at least one insurance policy in their name last year, not including social health coverage. Murang’a followed at 11.3 percent, Nyeri at 10 percent, and Kirinyaga at 9.5 percent.
The association explained that the Health Ministry’s pending liabilities cover several subsidy and maternal health programmes, including Sh2.12 billion for Linda Mama, Sh1.42 billion under the programme for orphans and vulnerable children, Sh289 million for older persons and persons with severe disabilities, and Sh4 billion for indigent households under the universal health coverage roll-out.
Sankei, a highly experienced auditor with more than 20 years in the field, brings a wealth of knowledge to his new role. His career spans leadership positions in key organizations such as the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), and the Public Service Commission (PSC), giving him a unique perspective on both public and private sector operations. The appointment follows a rigorous recruitment process that began on July 29, 2025, ensuring transparency and fairness in the selection.
According to Kinyua, SHA has disregarded both the President’s commitment and the law’s transitional clauses, leaving the majority of NHIF workers facing the threat of job loss.
The arrests come a month after the investigative agency received 1,188 files from the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC).
Speaking during a high-level consultative meeting with private healthcare providers and senior Social Health Authority (SHA) officials, Duale said claims above Sh10 million will be verified by an independent committee before payments are made to protect public funds.
According to the association, hospitals are owed Sh33 billion in unsettled NHIF claims and a further Sh43 billion under SHA. Out of the NHIF debt, Sh15.2 billion is tied to 83 large hospitals, with the rest distributed across 2,600 smaller facilities.
President Ruto said the government is using digitized systems to expose and eliminate the networks that previously drained public funds through the collapsed NHIF.
The committee, which had been formed through a Gazette Notice by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, was found to have violated the Constitution
The positions, which were announced on Tuesday and published in local dailies, are part of SHA’s efforts to strengthen its capacity.