The Ministry of Health has called on health facilities to continue providing services under the Linda Mama programme as the issue of outstanding debt is addressed.
This comes after private hospitals threatened to withhold services under the programme or ask Kenyans to pay for the services from their pockets.
The free maternity services programme dubbed Linda Mama was rolled out in April 2017.
The aim was to provide access to maternal healthcare services for all women of reproductive age in Kenya.
The Rural Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) raised concern that they are owed Sh3.1 billion in arrears for the services rendered dating back to July last year.
Addressing their concerns, Health CS Susan Nakhumicha said she was in touch with the National Treasury to ensure funds are released.
“We have quite a huge figure outstanding for Linda Mama. I am in discussion with the Treasury to see how we can ensure that these funds are paid, but I want to assure those who have provided services that they are going to be paid,” Nakhumicha said.
The CS said the committee tasked with ensuring a smooth transition from NHIF to the Social Health Authority will ensure that no outstanding debt is left unpaid.
Nakhumicha said the committee is currently going through the NHIF financial books to determine the debts so that a full portfolio of how much is owed to facilities is determined.
"Once that is done, the government will then move to the second level of reconciliation and then the third level of payment. I want to assure facilities we are with them and we shall ensure that what is due is paid," she said.
"I also ask of them, that they will eventually claim for those services so it doesn’t make sense for them to withhold services; they just need to continue providing the services and we get into an agreement of how we make the payments."
According to a report released by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission on Tuesday, there have been delays in the disbursement of Linda Mama funds from the Ministry of Health to the Nhif.
This has consequently affected reimbursement to healthcare providers.
For example, Linda Mama's Inpatient and outpatient claims in Nakuru County had accumulated to Sh8.9 million and Sh1.4 million respectively for the period between February 2021 and September 2023.
Health facilities that spoke to EACC reported they were making losses out of the programme.
This is because the cost of commodities and procedures had risen over time yet the costing models had not been reviewed to determine the feasible packages.
For instance, a Sh2,500 reimbursement for Linda Mama was inadequate to procure pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceuticals.
This, EACC said in the report, may compromise the quality of services offered by health facilities.
"Some of the beneficiaries interviewed did not have adequate information of the accruing benefits under the programme," the report said.
"This exposed the beneficiaries to the risk of extortion and out-of-pocket payments for services already included in the benefit package," it notes.
Chairman of the Rural Private Hospitals Association of Kenya Brian Lishenga has now warned that beneficiaries of the programme might be forced to top up cash payments to access services from March 18.
