Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has accused some healthcare facilities of using the Social Health Authority (SHA) as an excuse to deny patients treatment despite receiving claim payments from the government.
Appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation on Thursday, Duale defended SHA’s performance, saying the authority continues to settle claims on time.
“When people don’t want to serve Kenyans, they get an excuse,” Duale told senators.
The CS said SHA’s national claim settlement rate currently stands at 84 per cent, although Mombasa County remains below the national average at 71 per cent.
He noted that the authority has maintained regular payments to health facilities, disbursing Ksh12.7 billion last month and Ksh16.3 billion the previous month.
“Coast General Hospital and Nakuru General Hospital are two of the public health facilities in our country that have received over Ksh2 billion in the last 18 months and they are doing very well,” he said.
The remarks come amid persistent complaints from patients and some healthcare providers over access to services under the insurance scheme.
Duale also addressed claims that some cancer patients had been turned away after exhausting their treatment limits.
He told the committee that 3,690 patients exceeded their SHA coverage limits between October 2024 and October 2025, but more than 3,000 have since accessed full treatment after the government expanded cancer financing under the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund.
“Over 43,661 beneficiaries are enrolled in the oncology package, with more than 3,000 having successfully completed treatment,” said Duale.
The CS was before the committee to present proposed healthcare tariff amendments that will guarantee free maternity services at Level Two and Three facilities, with costs fully financed by the government.
The package covers antenatal care, delivery services, Caesarean sections, newborn care, immunisation and postnatal services.
