Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has warned that the Social Health Authority (SHA) risks collapsing in the next 6 months.
Speaking on Sunday, March 29, at a church service in Kirinyaga County, Gachagua said a crisis of unknown magnitude could hit the health sector.
“I have information that SHA will collapse in 6 months, and we will have a crisis of unknown magnitude in the health sector. Today, as we speak, our hospitals, especially the faith-based hospitals, are owed Ksh90 billion and are almost shutting down,” Gachagua stated.
The former Deputy President urged hospital management to demand upfront payments from the Social Health Authority (SHA) to prevent the sector’s further decline.
“I want to advise our hospitals. If SHA collapses, all our hospitals will collapse. Our hospitals should demand the release of the Ksh90 billion they are owed before they render services, because if they don’t and SHA collapses, those institutions will also collapse,” Gachagua added.
His remarks come days after the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Health said funding shortfall threatens the sustainability of SHA.
Speaking on Thursday, March 19, Seme Member of Parliament James Nyikal said the revenue collected by the authority is not enough to meet its expenses.
According to the ODM lawmaker, SHA collects about Ksh7.4 billion monthly but spends Ksh7.2 billion on its expenses.
“The revenue that the Social Health Authority collects for the three funds is really not enough to meet its expenses. As things stand now, they are barely getting what they need to run. We are likely to face an issue of sustainability,” he stated.
Nyikal, however, defended the scheme model but pointed out gaps in its implementation.
“My view about the whole thing, the design and the concept, is good. The problem we are going through is a problem of implementation,” Nyikal added.
