Private hospitals have issued fresh guidelines on how patients can navigate a planned suspension of Social Health Authority (SHA) services from Monday, February 24.

In a press conference on Sunday, Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association (RUPHA) Chairperson Brian Lishenga revealed SHA services are set to continue for select patients, who will be unaffected by the suspension of services.

Patients who had been admitted to private hospitals offering SHA services prior to the start of February 24 should still be able to receive treatment, according to Lishenga.

Similarly, the RUPHA chairperson clarified that emergency services are set to continue at private institutions.

RUPHA chair Brian Lishenga in Navakholo Constituency on January 25, 2025.

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Brian Lishenga

"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, adding that no private institution should send away patients who were admitted before January 24.

Lishenga further directed private healthcare institutions to respectfully redirect patients who try to seek SHA medical services from 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 concerns that patients would be subjected to a healthcare crisis if they were dismissed from private hospitals from February 24, the RUPHA chair offered alternatives and special situations that can see patients get treatment.

Among those instances is if a patient seeks medical services with a private medical cover or is willing to pay cash out of their pocket. Alternatively, Lishenga said the private hospitals had no problem issuing a referral to a different institution.

In the same press conference, RUPHA was also adamant the government had failed to keep its promises, hence the need to suspend SHA services.  According to Lishenga, hospitals have been struggling with debts dating as far back as 2017.

The body also faulted the government for attempting to solve the debt crisis by bagging on Kenyans' SHA contributions, insisting the best way to sort the debt crisis was through a supplementary budget.

Lishenga said, "I was speaking to some insiders They told me they spoke with the president who categorically said there is no money."

"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 impasse between the government and RUPHA, the latter claims they are still open to negotiations with the state. 

A hospital ward in Kenya.

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Kenyans.co.ke/Murang'a GH