All the Level Six hospitals in Kenya have announced readiness to offer medical services under the newly rolled-out Social Health Authority (SHA).
The hospitals include the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, and Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital.
KNH, in a statement, says it has fully operationalized both the Emergency Critical and Chronic Illness Fund (ECCIF) and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) across its inpatient and outpatient services.
“The SHA initiative is a key element of the government’s health sector reforms, aimed at improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. It provides comprehensive healthcare services through empaneled and contracted providers and facilities, based on referrals. Its core objective is to ensure that all Kenyans can access high-quality healthcare without facing financial hardship,” KNH stated.
“In line with the SHA mandate, KNH has ensured that all patients receive care. This includes seamless admission for inpatient services, clearance of discharged patients, and onboarding new patients for outpatient services.”
KNH Chief Executive Officer Dr Evanson Kamuri expressed confidence in the program, stating that the hospital has continued to provide uninterrupted care to all patients, regardless of registration status.
Since the launch of the SHA program, KNH has successfully provided a wide range of essential medical services, including MRI, CT Scan, renal dialysis, inpatient admissions, Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy.
“The implementation of the Social Health Authority at Kenyatta National Hospital is a significant milestone. It aligns with our commitment to delivering world-class healthcare while improving patient satisfaction and healthcare outcomes,” added Dr Kamuri.
KNH says it has conducted extensive staff sensitization on the SHA program, established help desks in key service areas to educate patients, assigned personnel to manage registration at all pay points and deployed a dedicated team to sensitize health workers in Nyeri, Kirinyaga, and Embu counties on the program’s benefits.
“Pre-operative surgeries carried over from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA have been completed, emergency cases have been attended to, and the care of cancer patients has proceeded as scheduled,” KNH added.
Dr Kamuri emphasized that the hospital will continue to provide services to every deserving client.
“No one has been denied services or sent home without being attended to. All patients are receiving the appropriate care.”
SHA in MTRH
Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) says it has appointed a dedicated committee to oversee the sensitization and registration of the public. The committee leads the transition and provides first-hand information to the public on the benefits of the new health fund.
“As of 2nd October 2024, a total of 526 patients have been registered and 400 members of the public. All patients received care: 200 inpatients and 326 specialized care; Chemotherapy-97, Radiotherapy-159 and dialysis- 70. The Hospital has deployed its robust customer service function in all entry points for faster processing and access to healthcare,” MTRH stated.
MTRH is also leading public sensitization and registration to the Social Health Authority in the western region beginning with Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet and Kakamega Counties.
In a recent walk-through by the Hospital’s Management, the team reviewed the implementation of SHA across all service areas, assisting patients in registering and ensuring a smooth transition to the new system.
KUTRRH says it has recorded significant benefits under SHA, particularly in critical departments such as Endoscopy, Renal, and Chemotherapy.
“Today, 61 chemotherapy patients, 39 dialysis patients and 10 patients in the Endoscopy unit, among others, have received care fully covered by SHA, with their bills covered through the newly rolled-out scheme,” KUTRRH stated.
“KUTRRH has established Help Desks at all Customer Care Units across the hospital to guide patients on the SHA registration process. These efforts are aimed at ensuring a seamless experience for all our clients as we strive to improve access to affordable healthcare.”
Read: How To Register For SHA
>>> 3 Steps Govt Has Taken to Ensure Smooth Transition from NHIF to SHA
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