Duale: Public hospitals will be paid directly by SHA

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has told parliament that public hospitals will be getting payments directly from the Social Health Authority (SHA) for services offered to patients.

Duale said this is unlike during the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) tenure, where the funds will be channeled to the County Treasuries and would not reach the facilities that they were intended to go to, paralysing service delivery in the health sector.

He told the National Assembly Delegated Legislation Committee that the government looks forward to having at least 22 million Kenyans registered with SHA, which he said that once fully established turn around the health sector for the better.

“We will be moving around the country to rally Kenyans to enroll with the Social Health Authority since there is a lot of negative information out there, but eventually this will turn out to be one of the best decisions made by the Kenya Kwanza administration,” said Duale.

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The Cabinet Secretary told the committee, chaired by Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga, that the ministry is compiling data on the most vulnerable individuals in society to be handed over to the Social Protection Programme and Constituency Development Fund for support on SHA payment.

Duale stated that the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority(KEMSA) will be receiving its payment for drugs from the SHA directly to reduce the backlog of funds that facilities run by the National and County Governments are owed, which has negatively impacted service delivery.

He told the legislators that the Digital Health Agency will ensure that health data in the system is protected through the health data cycle and that a person or entity shall not access the health data unless authorised by the client or the health data controller.

The system, Duale said, will provide evidence-based health financing, which will reduce the funds that have been lost in the past in the sector by sealing all the loopholes that have been used by cartels in the past to siphon off billions of shillings through insurance fraud.

The Cabinet Secretary who took over the health docket in a reshuffle done by President William Ruto last month promised to ensure that Taifa Care works to ensure that the downtrodden can get essential medical services without a struggle.

“I am one month old in this docket, but I promise Kenyans that I will ensure that citizens get quality medical care by having Taifa care working to serve all Kenyans who are in need,” said Duale.

He said that he will be seeking an opportunity to address both houses of Parliament so as to inform the representatives of the people on the reforms in the health sector, to clear the air over the wrong perception that the new system was worse than the previous ones.

Duale said that once Members of Parliament are well briefed, they will be able to communicate with their constituents who have raised concerns about the changes brought by the government, which he said, in the long run, citizens will come to appreciate.

He said that the digital health system will help do away with quacks who have taken advantage of gullible Kenyans, which has contributed to deaths that could have been avoided, and the worsening of patients' conditions, which could not have happened.

“I am beseeching Kenyans to give the government a chance to implement the changes in the health sector, which are meant for the good of the citizens, since a healthy population is a key cornerstone of a successful nation,” said Duale.

He told Senators that the Kenya Health Data Governance Framework shall be the reference document for the management of health data and shall govern the collection, access, sharing and use of health data.

Duale said that the agency shall ensure that health data controllers and health data processors comply with the requirements specified under the Kenya Health Data Governance Framework in the management of health data.