The Social Health Authority (SHA) has sought to draw a line under mounting speculation about its payouts, announcing that it has released Ksh.3.4 billion to health facilities across the country under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
According to SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi, the disbursements have gone into a wide range of services, from inpatient care and critical surgeries to mental health, drug rehabilitation and substance abuse treatment. A further Ksh.1.09 billion, she said, has been channelled through the Primary Health Care Fund, while another Ksh.1.7 billion is still being processed for dialysis, oncology and surgical claims.
In a bid to illustrate the impact of the funding, Dr. Mwangangi singled out Nyandiwa Level 4 Hospital in Homa Bay County, which she said received Ksh.19 million between January and June this year, mostly to cover inpatient long stays and maternity services. The hospital, she added, had confirmed receiving the funds.
But her remarks also appeared designed to address a storm brewing online. In recent days, screenshots of SHA’s payment schedules have circulated widely, one showing “Nyandiwa Dispensary” listed as having received just Ksh.10,080 in July, and another claiming the same dispensary pocketed a staggering Ksh.19 million in August.
Adding to the confusion, an undated photo of a neglected Nyandiwa health facility its gate obscured by tall grass and its walls peeling has been shared across platforms, raising questions about whether millions of shillings may have been funnelled into a “ghost” hospital.
It remains unclear whether the facility in the photograph is in fact the Nyandiwa Level 4 Hospital referenced by Dr. Mwangangi. But the SHA boss dismissed any suggestion of impropriety, insisting that all disbursements were properly accounted for.
“SHA remains committed to timely payments, accountability, and transparency,” she said.
For now, the Authority faces the twin task of keeping health services funded while convincing a sceptical public that the billions it is releasing are landing exactly where they should.
