Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has deployed additional personnel to address a backlog caused by a failure of the Social Health Authority (SHA) system.
Chief executive officer Evanson Kamuri acknowledged a slight lapse in patient care on Wednesday and reassured the public that the SHA system is now fully operational and aligned with the KNH system.
“Normal operations have resumed, and patients are being attended to,” he said in a statement to newsrooms.
He noted that recent system downtime experienced over the last two days temporarily disrupted some services, causing delays in patient clearance and administrative processes.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience this may have caused to our patients and their families,” he said.
Kamuri said the additional personnel have been deployed across all affected departments with extended working hours.
“KNH is fully committed to ensuring that all pending cases are resolved promptly and efficiently,” he assured.
He apologised for the inconvenience caused during the period and thanked patients and the public for their understanding and patience.
He said KNH is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of care and professionalism.
The government officially transitioned from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the newly established SHA in October 2024.
The change followed the enactment of the Social Health Insurance (SHI) Act 2023, which aims to enhance healthcare access and quality for all citizens.
Under the new law, every Kenyan citizen, including their dependents, is now required to register as members of the SHA.
This transition is seen as a crucial step in ensuring that all individuals in Kenya have access to essential healthcare services without facing financial hardship.
The NHIF officially ceased operations, with its final admission date being September 30, 2024, and SHA benefits commenced immediately thereafter.
As part of the transition process, citizens are encouraged to make timely contributions to avoid any disruptions in their health coverage.
The Ministry of Health has been urging all Kenyans to register for SHA to access to quality healthcare services without financial hardship.
The statement comes hours after angry patients stormed the Ministry of Health offices to lament the lack of operationalization of SHA.
Patients decried frustrations with the newly rolled out health cover, which they insist has not been working.
Some of them also fulminated against how they had wandered around the hospitals’ offices and even been forced to visit SHA offices, in vain.
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