SHA contract deadline puts patients at risk of service disruptions
SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi said they will lock out healthcare providers across the country from SHA system in the next three days if they fail to complete new contracts before the expiry of the current agreements.
Patients across the country could be exposed to widespread suffering, treatment delays and potentially life-threatening disruptions from Thursday as hundreds of healthcare facilities risk being shut out of the Social Health Authority (SHA) system for failing to complete new contracts before the September 30, 2026 deadline.
SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi said they will lock out healthcare providers across the country from SHA system in the next three days if they fail to complete new contracts before the expiry of the current agreements.
The new directive has raised the prospect of potentially massive disruption for patients seeking treatment who risk bearing the brunt of the looming healthcare shutdown crisis with delayed medical attention and possible deaths.
SHA CEO Mwangangi also said existing contracts with healthcare providers will expire on September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Facilities that do not have an executed contract for the 2026–2029 cycle will not be allowed to provide services to SHA beneficiaries from October 1.
Their access to the SHA provider portal will also be switched off.
“Providers without an executed contract for the 2026–2029 cycle will not be permitted to offer services to SHA beneficiaries after that date,” Mwangangi said in a notice issued Monday.
The authority has urged facilities with outstanding requirements to complete the contracting process urgently and make arrangements to transfer patients receiving ongoing treatment to facilities that have completed the process.
The directive could leave patients facing longer journeys, delays in appointments and possible disruption of treatment if their preferred hospital is unable to serve them under SHA.
Patients undergoing regular reviews, procedures, chronic disease management or specialised treatment could be particularly affected if they are required to shift facilities at short notice.
The warning also comes against the backdrop of previous technical problems that have disrupted SHA services.
In March 2026, a system failure affecting the Digital Health Agency disrupted SHA pre-authorisation services countrywide, affecting hospitals’ ability to obtain approvals for admissions, procedures, diagnostic tests and specialised treatment.
The system has faced difficulties since its rollout in October 2024. During the initial transition from NHIF, technical failures left patients stranded, while some facilities demanded cash payments after the SHA claims system experienced problems.
In December 2024, a malfunctioning pre-authorisation portal reportedly delayed surgical procedures, with some patients sent home while hospitals waited for approvals.
In January 2025, patients at Kenyatta National Hospital complained that services had been delayed because payments and SHA records were not reflecting correctly in hospital systems.
Healthcare providers have also previously raised concerns over portal downtime, patient verification and delayed payments.
A provider survey reported in February 2025 found that 83 per cent of hospitals surveyed were experiencing difficulties verifying patient eligibility, while 89 per cent reported SHA portal failures.
The new contracting cycle, known as HAKIKA, was launched this month alongside an electronic contracting platform.
The Ministry of Health headed by Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said this is intended to improve contracting, verification, claims processing, payments and accountability. Providers can apply, upload documents, undergo verification and execute contracts digitally.
The contracts cover services under the Primary Health Care Fund, Social Health Insurance Fund, Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund and Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, running from October 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029.
SHA has urged providers to clear all outstanding requirements before Wednesday’s deadline to prevent interruptions. Facilities seeking clarification have been directed to contact the authority through its customer service channels or toll-free number 147.
