Civil Societies and private sector organizations in the health sector are asking the government to rethink their approach in healthcare management by highlight several systemic challenges that have left both public and private institutions struggling.
Speaking at the CEO forum hosted by the Health NGOs Network (HENNET), stakeholders voiced their concerns about the state of healthcare financing, access, and sustainability.
Dr. Brian Lishenga, Chairman of the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association (RUPHA), was among those calling for urgent reforms, pointing out the severe breakdown in primary healthcare.
“Primary healthcare has collapsed, we have hospitals getting auctioned and regardless of how you want to define it, there is nothing like first-person continuous care. You know, that is not happening. Whether it is public sector, private sector, primary health care has collapsed entirely” he cautioned.
The biggest concern in healthcare for the different CSOs is healthcare financing especially the Social Health Authority. Since its introduction in October 2024, the fund has faced several issues with different parties calling for it to be scrapped.
Questioning the government’s sustainability plans for the health financing model Dr Lishenga noted that if contributions remain low, SHIF will be unable to pay claims.
“The current model is unsustainable, 80 per cent of the money it was relying on was supposed to come from the informal sector-who are not contributing.”
People from the formal sector are the most consistent contributors to SHIF with the model getting 2.75 per cent.
Pointing out the flaw in the system the stakeholders pointed out the rate of unemployment in the country.
“We told the government that proxy means testing won’t work in a country with a 60 per cent unemployment rate. But will they listen? We don’t know.
“SHIF is broke. Anybody who listened to that, they are basically saying our accounts are empty,” he warned. “For me, my concern is that this runway is going to run out. It’s going to run out really quick and the reason why it’s running out is that the model is unsustainable .from the word go.”
SHIF relied heavily on the informal sector to contribute Echoing Dr. Lishenga, Moses Mokua, a public health expert, reinforced these concerns, stating that the government’s lack of foresight is worsening the crisis.
“We are witnessing a healthcare system that is crumbling before our eyes,” Mokua said. “Instead of addressing systemic inefficiencies, we keep introducing policies that are reactive rather than proactive. The people suffering the most are those who cannot afford alternative healthcare options.”
Mokua criticized the delay in disbursing funds to public hospitals, which he argued is pushing more Kenyans into financial distress.
“Hospitals are understaffed, under-equipped, and now struggling to stay open because funds are not being released on time. Patients are being asked to buy everything, from syringes to basic drugs. This is not healthcare; this is survival,” he stated.
He urged the government to prioritize efficiency and accountability in healthcare financing, cautioning that without urgent intervention, the healthcare system will continue to deteriorate.
