Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has hit out at critics of the Social Health Authority (SHA), accusing them of peddling falsehoods about the scheme’s performance.
Speaking in Manda Shianda ward, Malava constituency, during the burial of UDA parliamentary aspirant Dr. Enock Andanje, Mudavadi said some hospitals enrolled under the SHA program were mismanaging their operations and unfairly blaming the Ministry of Health and the government.
“I am here to set the records straight. Those politicians using podiums to say that the government is behind the troubles facing St. Mary’s Hospital in Mumias are misleading the people. The hospital put forward a claim of Ksh117 million under the SHA program, and so far, they have received Ksh82 million in payment,” said Mudavadi.
He accused unnamed politicians of castigating the program without facts, insisting that the Ministry of Health had evidence of funds disbursed.
“The government through the Ministry of health has the records and I am a witness. I have a copy of the records. If they want to dispute and bring on an argument, I am ready to produce the evidence of what they received in November and December last year and the subsequent payments under the SHA program,” he explained.
Mudavadi assured Kenyans that the government is continuously looking into shortfalls in the Social Health Authority (SHA) to ensure all Kenyans have access to quality medical care.
He cautioned that misappropriation and mismanagement by individual hospitals and health facilities should not form a basis of condemning the program and pointing fingers at the government.
“I am giving Kenyans these figures because I know people are malicious, they don’t want this program to roll out in full. If the management of St Mary’s hospital is unable to demonstrate accountability, then they carry their own cross,” Mudavadi regretted.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary further accused some facilities of withholding key evidence on SHA transactions to undermine the scheme.
He added that the government remained aware of challenges in the transition to SHA but was committed to resolving them.
“Some cartels were using the previous scheme to swindle funds and cripple the health sector. Now, with accountability we are demanding the listed beneficiary health facilities to produce evidence. Don’t just shout that the government has to be accountable, President Ruto has to be accountable, Mudavadi and Wetangula have to be accountable, and when you are asked to produce your evidence as a health service provider for the money you have received you begin wagging your tail,” he further cautioned.
SHA is designed to ensure all Kenyans access comprehensive healthcare services through empaneled and contracted facilities on referral from primary health centers.
The scheme covers preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative services at level 4, 5, and 6 hospitals.
