Health facilities in Taita Taveta County are grappling with mounting financial strain due to delayed reimbursements under the Social Health Authority (SHA) program, with claims from the then National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and now SHA amounting to over Ksh 43 million yet to be settled.
This was revealed during a fact-finding mission by the Office of the Ombudsman, which is assessing the implementation and effectiveness of SHA and other community-led programs in the region.
The Commission on Administrative Justice, raised concern over the slow pace of SHA reimbursements, which is threatening the delivery of essential health services in public and private facilities.
Speaking during a press briefing at Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi on Monday, the Chairperson of the Commission, Charles Dulo, noted that while the SHA has proven beneficial for registered members, the system is being undermined by serious financial gaps and low levels of public awareness.
“We were informed that this hospital has only received Ksh 800,000 against claims totaling over Ksh 43 million. That kind of shortfall clearly hampers service delivery. We will escalate this matter to the Ministry of Health, SHA authority, the Cabinet Secretary and the Permanent Secretary to ensure that funds are disbursed promptly,” said the Chair.
The Chairperson spoke after visiting the county referral hospital, interacting with patients and medical staff to gather firsthand feedback on the SHA rollout.
Despite the financial hurdles, some patients expressed satisfaction with the health services offered under SHA, terming it a step in the right direction, provided that access and functionality issues are resolved.
“There are people saying SHA is not working, but most of them are not even registered. Some were simply told to bring a copy of their ID for registration and didn’t follow through. This is largely a matter of awareness,” said Dulo.
The commission urged residents to register at nearby health facilities, assuring them that assistance would be provided during the process.
During the visit, the Ombudsman identified several challenges that are limiting the effectiveness of the SHA program in the county including frequent system downtimes that disrupt access to services, missing or incomplete patient records that hinder follow-ups, and a general lack of public knowledge on what is required during the registration process.
The Chairperson stressed on the importance of addressing these challenges through continuous public sensitization and stakeholder collaboration stating, “We are calling for increased public sensitization on SHA. People need to know how the program works, what documents to bring, and where to go for help. A well-informed citizenry will enhance the effectiveness of this scheme.”
The spot check by the Ombudsman is part of a wider tour of the Coast Region, which also includes monitoring the implementation of the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLoCCA) program, which is a five-year World Bank-supported project implemented jointly with the National Treasury and county governments to support grassroots-led climate change projects.
In the county, the commission met with Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo and other officials to assess how the county is progressing in aligning with FLoCCA requirements. These include developing a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) Policy, establishing frameworks for Access to Information, and enacting legislation that enables open governance.
The Chairperson highlighted the importance of the GRM policy in empowering communities to raise concerns related to project implementation, ensuring that the concerns are resolved efficiently and effectively.
Additionally, counties are expected to enact Access to Information laws in line with Section 96 (3) of the County Governments Act, 2012.
The Act mandates that each county government in Kenya must enact legislation to ensure access to information, in accordance with the national laws governing access to information.
“Our technical team is working closely with the counties to finalize these policies and ensure that the public is empowered through information and engagement,” he said.
Taita Taveta is among 21 counties implementing the FLoCCA program. The Commission had earlier visited Tana River and Kilifi counties and is expected to proceed to Kwale County to complete the coastal circuit.
“The goal is to ensure that by the end of this financial year, all participating counties have grievance redress systems and access to information frameworks in place,” he noted.
The Ombudsman reaffirmed its support to both the county and national governments in driving citizen-centered service delivery reforms. Dulo said that the mission aims to identify best practices, address gaps, and facilitate the development of policies that strengthen accountability and transparency.
“As a Commission, we are encouraged by what we have seen. There is progress, and there is political good will. What remains now is to scale up awareness, strengthen systems, and maintain momentum,” he stated.
