By Faith Nyabuto
Kenya’s health sector is facing a deepening crisis as the Social Health Authority (SHA) struggles with overwhelming financial arrears, systemic inefficiencies, and widespread facility closures.
The situation has escalated to the point where many healthcare providers have gone unpaid for months, forcing some to shut down operations entirely and leaving countless patients without access to essential medical services.
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Dr. James Nyikal, a member of the National Assembly’s health committee, has pointed to a troubling lack of understanding surrounding SHA’s internal operations.
He believes this knowledge gap is a major contributor to the current turmoil, as policymakers and stakeholders remain ill-equipped to address the Authority’s challenges effectively.
“All health facilities should be inspected to establish the amounts paid to them,” Dr Nyikal said.
Meanwhile, the Rural Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA), under the leadership of Dr. Brian Lishenga, has released a report detailing the extent of the financial damage.
According to their findings, over 111 million shillings in payments to healthcare facilities remain outstanding.
Twenty-four facilities have already closed due to non-payment, and many others have received only partial reimbursements—some as little as half of what they were owed, while others received nothing at all.
Dr. Lishenga has emphasized that the crisis is not merely a financial issue but a humanitarian one.
“The inability of hospitals to pay staff, procure supplies, and maintain operations directly impacts patient care,” he says.
Lishenga warns that without immediate intervention, the situation will continue to deteriorate, putting more lives at risk.
Health professionals and advocacy groups are urging authorities to conduct a thorough audit of SHA’s operations, ensure transparency in fund disbursement, and provide emergency support to struggling facilities.
As the crisis unfolds, the future of Kenya’s healthcare system hangs in the balance, with urgent reforms needed to restore stability and trust in public health infrastructure.
