Kisumu: The Ministry of Health has shut down 35 private hospitals across the country over alleged irregularities in the administration of Social Health Authority (SHA). Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale said the affected facilities, located in Kisumu, Bungoma, Busia, Nairobi, Kilifi, Mandera, Wajir, and Kajiado counties, were found to have submitted double claims in a coordinated scheme to defraud the public health insurer.

According to Kenya News Agency, Duale, speaking at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu during a fundraiser for the Kisumu chapter of Bunge la Mwananchi, said the crackdown was part of a broader effort to rein in unscrupulous health providers exploiting SHA for personal gain. He revealed that some hospitals had presented fake documents to secure SHA accreditation, while others billed outpatient services under inpatient claims to inflate reimbursements. Additionally, discrepancies were discovered in declared bed capacities.

‘How can a hospital with 14 beds claim to have 100? This is outright theft. They think we are still in the NHIF era where such activities thrived,’ said the CS. He added that files from the ongoing audit would be handed over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday for further probe, a move that could lead to more closures countrywide. The CS warned medical practitioners against engaging in fraudulent practices, saying the government would take stern action against those found culpable.

‘If you are a doctor and your code is used to steal from SHA, you will have yourself to blame,’ he warned. The CS also cautioned Kenyans enrolled under SHA against colluding with hospitals to defraud the insurer. Duale defended the SHA initiative, a flagship programme of President William Ruto’s administration, saying it was already yielding results and would not be derailed by rogue actors.

‘SHA is working. We will not allow anyone to steal from it and compromise its operations,’ he stated. The fundraiser was also attended by Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Personal Assistant to the president Farouk Kibet, Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, Kisumu Central MP Dr Joshua Oron among other leaders who called for national unity and support for the government’s development agenda.

Wandayi praised President Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for what he termed as ‘pure statesmanship’ in promoting the idea of a broad-based government. He urged Nyanza residents to rally behind President Ruto to ensure the region benefits from his development blueprint. Kibet asked Nyanza residents to give divisive politics a wide berth and rally behind President Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for meaningful development to be realised in the area.

Ichung’wah warned against incitement and divisive politics, blaming last week’s Gen Z protests for fueling unrest in some parts of the country. He, however, lauded the Nyanza region for steering clear of the demonstrations. ‘President Ruto is determined to work with all Kenyans. Let’s not be divided along tribal lines,’ he said. On his part, MP Atandi hailed the Kenya Kwanza administration for what he described as unprecedented support to the region.

‘The amount of money President Ruto has allocated for the Nyanza region is something that has never been seen since independence,’ he said.