The Ministry of Health has requested the National Treasury to set aside Ksh.5.4 billion in the Supplementary Budget to settle outstanding National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) debts of less than Ksh.10 million, in line with a Presidential directive.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the request aims to ease the burden on healthcare providers, particularly faith-based organizations (FBOs), which deliver a significant share of medical services across the country. He spoke during a consultative meeting on Monday with leaders of the Christian Health Association of Kenya, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies, and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims.
“The government is committed to clearing these historical obligations and ensuring the smooth transition from NHIF to the Social Health Authority (SHA),” said Duale.The meeting reviewed progress on the rollout of Taifa Care, Kenya’s universal health coverage (UHC) program. According to the ministry, SHA has so far onboarded over 26.5 million Kenyans, while the Digital Health Agency has digitized 3,386 public health facilities out of a target of 6,500. Faith-based hospitals have also received 100 digital gadgets and training to align with the system.
On financing, SHA has disbursed Ksh.10 billion for primary health care and Ksh.59.3 billion under the Social Health Insurance Fund. Meanwhile, the government has committed Ksh.6.1 billion to UHC employees, Ksh.1.75 billion to settle doctors’ arrears, Ksh.9.9 billion for medical interns, and Ksh.3.2 billion for community health promoters.
The ministry also noted progress in commodity supply, with KEMSA’s order fill rate improving to 70 percent and projected to reach 90 percent by December 2025.
Faith-based leaders welcomed the government’s efforts to address financing bottlenecks, calling for sustained collaboration. They agreed on several next steps, including the allocation of relationship managers to facilities, stricter adherence to SHA’s 90-day claim settlement period, and expanded digitization support for remote hospitals.
The ministry further announced upcoming visits to Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) and the launch of CT scans at Tenwek and Dreamland Hospitals in the coming weeks.
