- President Ruto vows that SHA will work and fraudsters will face justice.
- Nearly 1,000 health facilities have already shut down for fraudulent dealings.
- Digital system now exposing fake patients and ghost hospitals.
- Billions lost through false claims are to be recovered.
- SHA suspends facilities in several counties, Mandera topping the list.
President William Ruto has assured Kenyans that the Social Health Authority (SHA) will not fail, warning that fraudsters will not escape accountability.
Speaking at the State House on Wednesday, the President said almost 1,000 facilities had already been shut for fraud, with plans underway to recover misused funds and prosecute culprits.
“It is criminal to steal money meant for patients, criminal to misuse public funds in any way. We will make sure every shilling is recovered and those guilty are punished,” Ruto declared.
Ruto further explained that SHA’s digitisation is exposing fraud cases, from ghost hospitals to fake patients.
“The digital system is helping us detect fraudulent claims, ghost hospitals, and non-existent patients. This is how we will clean up our health sector,” he said.
The Head of State also linked SHA reforms to the government’s wider growth plan, citing gains in healthcare, education, housing, and infrastructure.
He pointed to new projects in Kiambu, including 30 markets worth Sh4.5 billion, 15,000 housing units, a 10,000-seater stadium in Thika, and key road works such as the Mau Mau road network.
“Healthcare will no longer be a privilege for a few but a right for every Kenyan. SHA must work, and it will work,” Ruto stressed.
Meanwhile, the SHA Chief Executive, Dr. Mercy Mwangangi, announced the suspension of several facilities from the scheme through a gazette notice issued on Tuesday.
The notice, issued under the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, did not give detailed reasons, but insiders cited fraudulent claims worth Sh10.6 billion. These included fake admissions, falsified records, and billing for patients who never existed.
Mandera County recorded the highest suspensions at ten facilities. Others included Kisii (seven), Homa Bay (six), Garissa (three), Kisumu (three), Kakamega (two), Bungoma (two), Wajir (two), and one facility each in Nairobi, Uasin Gishu, Meru, Migori, Narok, Turkana, Kirinyaga, Busia, Nandi, and Kajiado.
