ELDORET, Kenya – The government has suspended all overseas medical referrals funded by the Social Health Authority (SHA), citing widespread abuse of the scheme by cartels and unregulated foreign hospitals.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale made the announcement Thursday during the launch of the Digital Health Transformation and TaifaCare Caravan in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Duale said Kenyans seeking SHA-funded treatment abroad will have to wait until stricter vetting systems are in place to curb corruption and strengthen local healthcare capacity.
“In the next week, I will gazette the treatments that are not available in our country. The days of going overseas for treatment just because a doctor has referred you will no longer be there,” the CS said.
He explained that only procedures unavailable locally will qualify for support, and foreign hospitals must first be vetted, registered with the SHA and have valid contracts to receive payments.
“We have had incidents where referral systems were not genuine. Some people get commissions for referring patients to foreign countries. That is what we want to stop,” Duale added.
The CS noted that many procedures Kenyans travel abroad for—such as PET scans, advanced imaging, kidney transplants, open-heart surgeries and spinal treatments—are already available in local facilities.
To tighten oversight, the Ministry of Health has enlisted an independent benefits advisory body at the University of Nairobi to vet foreign hospitals and ensure compliance with SHA requirements.
At the same event, Duale announced that all health workers under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme will be employed on permanent and pensionable terms under Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) guidelines.
“The story of UHC workers, interns, and CBAs is now a closed chapter during my tenure. The era of health worker demonstrations has ended,” he said.
Duale also hailed the rollout of the TaifaCare digital platform as a milestone in expanding healthcare access.
Through USSD (*147#), an app, and community registration desks, Kenyans can now register, contribute and access services more easily.
“SHA and TaifaCare are a transformational step in building a health system that works for every Kenyan,” Duale said.
The Eldoret launch was attended by Health PS Mary Muthoni, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Chelilim Bii and other national and county officials.
