Hospitals across Kenya have been given three months to connect to the government’s new digital health platform or risk being removed from the Social Health Authority (SHA) network.
The directive, announced during a stakeholder forum on Monday, marks a significant step in the government’s plan to modernise healthcare administration under the Taifa Care programme. Officials from the Ministry of Health, the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Digital Health Agency (DHA) met to outline the transition from the existing SHA Provider Portal to a new system integrated with the Health Management Information System (HMIS).
SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi said the transition is intended to improve how health facilities process patient information and claims.
“Within the next three months, I expect all providers to be fully integrated. If not, we will have no option but to deconstruct non-compliant facilities,” Dr Mwangangi said.
While she did not explain what enforcement measures would follow for facilities that fail to comply, the message signalled the government’s intention to push ahead with the rollout within a strict timeline.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said digital integration is central to the success of Taifa Care and Kenya’s drive towards Universal Health Coverage.
“A digital ecosystem that connects providers, patients, regulators and healthcare financiers is essential to the success of Taifa Care,” Duale said.
According to the Ministry of Health, the new platform will allow hospitals to verify patients in real time, process insurance claims electronically and exchange health information more efficiently with other facilities and agencies.
Officials believe the changes will reduce delays in claims reimbursement while improving accountability across the healthcare system.
As part of the transition, the Ministry said the current SHA Provider Portal will be phased out as hospitals migrate to the new digital platform.
The move comes as Kenya continues implementing wide-ranging health financing reforms under the Social Health Authority, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). The government says digital systems will play a key role in improving service delivery and ensuring health facilities receive payments more quickly.
Healthcare providers now face a three-month deadline to complete the integration process as the government presses ahead with its digital health agenda.
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