Nairobi: The Ministry of Health has announced plans to equip all healthcare facilities contracted under the Social Health Authority (SHA) with biometric verification devices in a bid to curb fraud concerns. Under the new system, all SHA insurance claim approvals require fingerprint authentication, making it significantly harder to process claims without a patient’s physical presence.
According to Kenya News Agency, Health Cabinet Secretary (CS), Aden Duale, stated that more than 5,000 facilities had already been supplied with the machines, with a further 3,000 set to be equipped by next week. The roll-out was prompted by numerous documented cases of fraud, including unusual multiple visits by the same individuals, questionable dependent registrations, and suspected collusion between individuals and health facilities to exploit the scheme.
Duale mentioned that every facility contracted under SHA will have biometric gadgets in the next two months to address misuse and fraud attempts by a section of individuals. The ministry is also rolling out capacity-building trainings for healthcare workers to support the effective deployment of the devices in the healthcare facilities.
Speaking on the sidelines of an engagement with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) in Naivasha, Duale committed to streamlining all teachers’ cover when accessing services under the new health system. He emphasized that any facility found demanding out-of-pocket payments from teachers would be suspended from the SHA network, following complaints raised over such charges.
The CS noted that 43,000 teachers had already accessed services at SHA-approved facilities in the past five months. KNUT Secretary General, Collins Oyuu, expressed satisfaction with commitments made by SHA officials to resolve teachers’ challenges in accessing healthcare services, noting that a more responsive system was crucial for quality education in the country.
The new system, which replaced the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) in October 2024, was enacted as part of the government’s Universal Health Coverage agenda under the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023. SHA comprises three components: the Primary Healthcare Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund.
Recent data from the Health Ministry shows that over 30 million Kenyans have registered with SHA, enhancing healthcare access across the nation. According to the 2026 Economic Survey, SHIF paid out Sh91.5 billion in claims, including Sh33.4 billion in outstanding obligations, against member contributions of Sh57.7 billion during the 2024/25 Financial Year.
A forensic audit by SHA’s digital health system uncovered multiple fraudulent practices, such as claiming for more expensive procedures than those performed and falsifying records to inflate claims. The ministry has suspended multiple facilities involved in fraud, and former SHA officials face criminal investigations by the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Source: Kenya News Agency
