RUPHA: Private Hospitals Issues New Directive For SHA Patients
Private hospitals have provided new advice for patients to manage the scheduled suspension of Social Health Authority (SHA) services beginning Monday, February 24.
In a press conference on Sunday, Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association (RUPHA) Chairperson Brian Lishenga revealed that SHA services will continue for select patients who will not be harmed by the suspension of services.
Patients who were admitted to private hospitals that provided SHA services prior to February 24 should still be able to obtain treatment, according to Lishenga.
Similarly, the RUPHA chairperson stressed that emergency services will continue at private institutions.
“If a patient was admitted before the date of suspension of services (February 24), no changes will take place in terms of receiving services,” he said.
FULL RUPHA STATEMENT ON STATE OF HEALTHCARE IN KENYA #SHA pic.twitter.com/xS7h3ifkdG
— RUPHA_Kenya (@RuphaKenya) February 20, 2025
He added that no private institution should send away patients who were admitted before January 24.
Lishenga also asked private healthcare institutions to gently divert patients who attempt to obtain SHA medical services beginning February 25.
He added, “If a patient comes to the hospital from February 25, explain to them with dignity and courtesy of the changes. Tell them it is temporary.”
Amid worries that patients would face a healthcare crisis if they were discharged from private hospitals on February 24, the RUPHA chair proposed alternatives and unique circumstances that could allow patients to receive treatment.
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One example is when a patient seeks medical services using private medical insurance or is willing to pay cash out of pocket.
Alternatively, Lishenga stated that private hospitals had no trouble referring patients to alternative institutions.
In the same press conference, RUPHA insisted that the government had failed to honor its promises, necessitating the suspension of SHA services.
According to Lishenga, hospitals have been battling with debt since 2017.
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The panel also chastised the government for seeking to tackle the debt situation by collecting Kenyans’ SHA contributions, arguing that the only approach to address the debt crisis was through a supplementary budget.
“I was speaking to some insiders They told me they spoke with the president who categorically said there is no money,” Lishenga said.
“SHA authorities have been shut down consistently and told there is no money. The fallback was to register as many people and there would be an SHA windfall that would sort the NHIF deficits. They were hoping the SHA money would be a lot.”
Despite the standoff between the administration and RUPHA, the latter says they are still willing to negotiate with the state.
RUPHA: Private Hospitals Issues New Directive For SHA Patients
