NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenya’s Caucus of Patient-Led Organizations of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) is calling on the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) to reinstate overseas treatment funding for patients in need of specialized care not available within the country.
In a recent press briefing, Caucus Chair Evans Majau highlighted the urgent need to reintroduce these crucial packages, especially for NCD patients now left without access to life-saving international treatments following the suspension of overseas benefits under Kenya’s new health funding model.
Majau appealed to the Social Health Authority (SHA) and Kenya’s Ministry of Health to resolve outstanding international hospital bills, noting that some patients currently receiving treatment abroad have been left stranded due to unpaid debts.
“We urge the ministry to restore the overseas treatment package for NCD patients,” Majau stated. “Many have been accessing essential treatments in India, Israel, and the UK, and now they’re in limbo.”
He further emphasized that both domestic and international bills must be settled promptly to uphold the well-being of Kenyan citizens.
The suspension has hit especially hard for NCD patients, who often require specialized treatments that are simply unavailable in Kenya.
Restoring these packages, the caucus argues, would be a significant step toward supporting the needs of vulnerable patients and ensuring that they can access the full spectrum of necessary care.
The caucus also reported concerns over mounting unpaid debts from the former National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), which has complicated the transition to the SHA.
Local healthcare providers are reportedly limiting services due to delayed payments, causing further disruption for patients.
This strain, coupled with uncertainty around SHA benefits, has led many providers to scale back on services as they await clearer guidelines and more reliable payment timelines.
The caucus is calling for swift improvements to the SHA and SHIF systems, asserting that such reforms are essential to realizing Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals.
Restoring overseas treatment options, ensuring timely payments to providers, and improving access to private and specialized facilities are all steps the organization says are necessary to build public trust and enhance healthcare equity for all Kenyans.
As Kenya’s health system undergoes this transformation, the caucus believes that addressing these systemic gaps will be crucial in creating a healthcare model that truly serves the needs of every citizen.
