NAIROBI— The Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Digital Health Agency (DHA) have issued a joint statement to address concerns raised in a Daily Nation article published on 6th July 2026 regarding the digital claims system supporting Taifa Care.
The two institutions wish to reassure Kenyans, healthcare providers, and all stakeholders that healthcare claims and payments to contracted hospitals continue to be processed efficiently, transparently, and in full compliance with the law and established government procedures.
Kenya is currently undertaking a comprehensive digital health transformation to accelerate Universal Health Coverage through Taifa Care. These reforms are designed to enhance efficiency, strengthen accountability, ensure secure patient verification, and deliver faster claims processing across the entire healthcare system.
Joint Press Statement: SHA and DHA assure Kenyans on Healthcare Claims Processing pic.twitter.com/UwUgvFlgkd
— Social Health Authority (@_shakenya) July 7, 2026
While SHA and DHA welcome public scrutiny on matters of healthcare financing and claims processing, they clarify that the impression created by the headline “Private firm pocketing SHA billions” is inaccurate. “No private company receives, controls, or disburses funds meant for hospitals on behalf of SHA.”
Under the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, SHA remains solely responsible for receiving, reviewing, approving, and making payments for eligible claims to contracted healthcare providers. The DHA, on its part, manages and supports the digital infrastructure that enables healthcare facilities to submit and process claims electronically and securely.
The Taifa Care digital system is powered by integrated platforms developed under a government contract with the Safaricom Consortium. This contract permits the engagement of specialised subcontractors where necessary, in accordance with Kenya’s procurement and contracting laws.
The 2% system service fee referenced in the article is provided for under the Digital Health Act, 2023 and its accompanying regulations. This fee covers the cost of operating the digital platform used for electronic claims processing, patient and provider verification, and secure sharing of health information. Importantly, the fee is only deducted from claims that have already been approved for payment and is processed automatically within the system.
By digitising the process, the system significantly reduces paperwork, manual handling, and delays — ultimately lowering administrative costs for healthcare facilities that would otherwise require more staff and resources.
Healthcare providers are encouraged to submit complete and accurate claims, secure all necessary pre-authorisations, and ensure their facility and banking details are current to facilitate timely processing.
SHA continues to offer ongoing training, technical support, and system improvements to help providers navigate the platform effectively and minimise avoidable claim rejections or delays.
Both SHA and DHA remain fully committed to transparency, accountability, and continuous engagement with healthcare providers, the media, and the public to ensure Kenyans receive accurate and timely information about Taifa Care.
