Over 1000 medical facilities shut for defrauding SHA, more targeted-Ruto warns

President William Ruto has revealed that over 1,000 medical facilities have been shut down for defrauding the Social Health Authority.

Speaking during an engagement with Kenyans living and working in London, United Kingdom, the President warned that a crackdown had been launched to rein in unscrupulous health providers exploiting the public health insurer.

He added that the operation is targeting even more facilities, pledging that his administration is committed to keeping the scheme free from corruption.

“The criminal elements that are staining SHA will not succeed. We have tracked and closed over 1,000 medical facilities engaging in fraud. More are on the way. Our health programme must remain efficient and incorruptible,” he assured.

He at the same time, assured that SHA is working, noting that in the last eight months, the transformative medical scheme has served more than 4.9 million people, way above the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) managed.

The Ministry of Health, early this week, said it had closed 35 private hospitals across the country over alleged irregularities.

Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale said the affected facilities, located in Kisumu, Bungoma, Busia, Nairobi, Kilifi, Mandera, Wajir, and Kajiado counties, were found to have submitted double claims in a coordinated scheme to defraud the public health insurer.

Speaking at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, Duale revealed that some hospitals had presented fake documents to secure SHA accreditation, while others billed outpatient services under inpatient claims to inflate reimbursements.

Additionally, discrepancies were discovered in declared bed capacities.