The Council of Governors (CoG) has accused the Ministry of Health of making unilateral decisions on the management of healthcare under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

CoG Chairman Ahmed Abdullahi slammed Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale for allegedly micromanaging a function that is fully devolved.

Governors also criticised SHA over delayed claims payments, pushing public hospitals into Ksh.32 billion debt and crippling services in the counties.

Speaking in Naivasha during a symposium on the Affordable Housing Programme and SHA, the CoG Chair expressed county governments’ frustrations with the management of the Authority.

“Indiscriminate and unilateral closure of hospitals and downgrading of the same… since SHA, MoH Afya House has become too powerful. It’s like they are running our hospitals from Afya House. Downgrading, regrading… how do you downgrade my hospital without talking to me?” Abdullahi, who is the Wajir Governor, lamented.

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The CoG is accusing the Ministry of Health of allegedly making decisions that affect counties without any consultation, saying that while upgrading more hospitals from Level 5 to Level 6 may improve service delivery, it also comes with significant consequences.

“Literally, it means counties are being asked to hand over their hospitals. It would be nice if we value these hospitals and they give us the money so that we can construct more hospitals, because according to Article 209, own-source revenue comes from user levies and the services you provide. So if your premier facility is taken from you, it has consequences on own-source revenue,” he noted.

According to Governor Abdullahi, the biggest challenge with SHA is claims management, which he says is almost crippling service delivery in public hospitals, with the current debt standing at Ksh.32 billion.

“We deliver to dispensaries, to the remotest parts, not the central stores,” MEDS Titus Munene stated.

Abdullahi added, “It is very demotivating for our staff when they have actually provided service and the claims they have logged in are being rejected under very flimsy reasons.”

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir on his part said: “If something is rejected right now, there is no follow-up mechanism. That means there is no appeal. So we depend on one person or a group of people to make a decision.”

CS Duale, who was at another function in Nairobi, said the Ministry of Health is reviewing and upgrading packages under the Social Health Authority.

“We have listened to cancer survivors, cancer patients, parents, and leaders. So there is something we are doing in line with the benefit and advisory panel, and we want to get feedback from you all on how we can make sure we have a more sustainable healthcare delivery for our citizens,” Duale noted.