How SHA funding is turning around Nairobi hospitals

Health facilities across Nairobi are seeing a quiet but notable turnaround, driven by funding from the Social Health Authority (SHA).

The programme, now active in Level 2, 3, and 4 hospitals in the city, is beginning to ease long-standing challenges in public health care delivery.

In Embakasi South, four key facilities—Mukuru Health Centre, Njenga Level 4 Hospital, Kware Dispensary and Tueben Health Centre—are reporting improvements linked to SHA reimbursements.

These funds, disbursed monthly, allow hospitals and clinics to offer services at no cost to patients and maintain basic operations, from drug supplies to minor infrastructure fixes.

Dr George Gatama, the Subcounty Medical Officer of Health, says the changes are starting to show on the ground.

“Kware Dispensary is currently leading in SHA revenue among Nairobi’s facilities,” he said. “We have been doing weekly medical outreaches, especially in underserved areas, and that has boosted both patient numbers and claims submitted to SHA.”

At these outreach events—usually held on Saturdays—residents receive basic services like consultations, immunisations, family planning, eye exams and dermatology checks.

Patients are also enrolled into the SHA system during treatment, allowing facilities to claim reimbursements directly.

According to Dr Gatama, a recent outreach on June 2 and 3 served hundreds of patients.

The dispensary was later reimbursed Sh1.1 million, while Njenga Health Facility received Sh1.2 million for services rendered.

The funds have helped facilities stock up on essential drugs, close staffing gaps, and improve infrastructure.

Mukuru Health Centre, for instance, recently acquired 40 new chairs and renovations are underway. SHA’s regular disbursements contrast with the older NHIF model, which often delayed payments.

"NHIF used to pay maybe twice a year,” Dr Gatama noted.

“With SHA, funds come in monthly and that consistency allows us to plan and respond better.”

Kware Dispensary, which operates from two container units, has experienced a sharp rise in patient numbers due to high population density in the surrounding Pipeline Ward.

Discussions are underway to upgrade Njenga Health Facility to a Level 4 hospital to ease pressure on other centres. Nairobi’s Health executive Suzanne Silantoi, acknowledged that while challenges remain, the funding is beginning to improve conditions in many facilities.

“At the very least, most clinics now have proper partitions for patient privacy,” she said.

Governor Johnson Sakaja also weighed in, crediting SHA for improving patient tracking and resource use.

“We now have systems that trace every patient from registration to reimbursement. It’s helping us understand the actual demand in our clinics. Some are now handling up to 1,000 patients a day,” he said.

With regular funding, better coordination, and rising community participation, SHA’s rollout in Nairobi appears to be stabilising public health services, offering a potential template for how county-level systems can function more efficiently.