SHA to pay claims on first-in-first-out basis – MoH

Health CS Aden Duale speaks during the 28th Ordinary Session of IBEC at Deputy President Kithure Kindiki's official residence in Karen, September 30, 2025. /MOH

The Ministry of Health has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with Faith-Based Organisations in the delivery of health services.

The ministry says a key resolution towards this end is the adoption of a first-come-first-served approach in settling claims under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

In a joint statement issued after a consultative meeting between the ministry and representatives of various FBOs Tuesday, the government pledged to honour its contractual obligations by ensuring timely payouts.

“SHA shall endeavour to pay all claims on a first-in-first-out basis adhering to the 90-day contractual period,” the statement read, signalling a renewed effort to streamline financial processes and build trust with service providers.

The meeting, convened by the ministry and led by the Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK) and Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS), brought together stakeholders from across the faith-based health sector.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale lauded the role played by FBOs in supporting the country’s health system, particularly in underserved regions.

“Faith-Based Organisations have been instrumental in reaching communities that would otherwise be left behind,” he said, adding that the ministry was committed to ensuring their continued integration into national health programmes.

To support the digitisation of faith-based and private health facilities, the consortium of FBOs was tasked with identifying remote facilities in need of support.

The ministry said so far, the Digital Health Agency has registered 3,386 facilities out of a targeted 6,500 facilities in the public sector.

It added that to support the FBOs in the registration exercise, it has supplied them with 100 gadgets as requested and trained their officers on how to use the system.

"The consortium of FBOs will submit a list of needy remote facilities for consideration for devices in the digitization process," the statement noted, underscoring the collaborative nature of the initiative.

In a bid to raise awareness and encourage enrolment into the SHA programme, FBOs were also urged to use their existing platforms to reach congregants by setting up registration desks in churches and mosques, pointing to the strategic role of faith institutions in public health mobilisation.

To ensure accountability and track progress, the meeting resolved that the chairperson of the consortium will convene quarterly meetings to review developments and address emerging challenges.

The ministry expressed its commitment to supporting these engagements, stating that SHA will allocate relationship managers per facility and organise joint clinics to improve service delivery.

 This includes facilitating account management to all public, faith-based and private health facilities.

The ministry assured stakeholders that it would work tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition of faith-based facilities into the SHA framework and foster mutual understanding through continuous engagement. 

"The Cabinet Secretary will be visiting Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) in the next two weeks and the launch of CT scans at the Tenwek and Dream Lands hospitals."

The FBOs appreciated the progress made in resolving issues raised as the ministry pledged to continue resolving all the pending concerns.

The resolutions from the meeting reflect a shared vision of inclusive, accountable, and community-driven healthcare as the country moves towards full implementation of Universal Health Coverage.