Clinical officers threaten strike over enrolment in SHA system

A man tries to enroll in the SHIF systems on his mobile phone. [iStockphoto]

The Social Health Authority (SHA) rollout continues to draw criticism as patients and health workers suffer.

The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has termed the rollout as chaotic and reckless and threatened to call for a nationwide strike in the next 14 days if the union is not included in the new SHA system by next week.

“The Social Health Authority is not adhering to the proper procedures, undermining the very foundations of healthcare delivery and violating the law as outlined in the Social Health Insurance Act,” KUCO Secretary-General, George Gibore said.

Speaking on Friday, the union boss said that many clinical officers are yet to be enrolled into the new system as service providers.

“As the transition from National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHIF unfolds, Clinical Officers—who provide over 70 per cent of all clinical services in Kenya—remain indispensable to our healthcare system,” he said.

He emphasised that the exclusion of clinical officers from the SHA system has sidelined over 1,000 healthcare facilities, including 834 that were previously serving Kenyans under the NHIF scheme.

According to Gibore, the interns have not received stipends or medical cover for months, forcing many into desperate situations.

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KUCO has issued several demands, including immediate empanelment of all qualifying clinical officers and their facilities, provision of medical cover for interns, and urgent disbursement of stipends.

The union has threatened demonstrations starting October 22 if these demands are not met by October 8.

Meanwhile, many healthcare providers have been forced to treat all patients as cash-paying clients, potentially increasing out-of-pocket costs for Kenyans seeking medical care.

Nairobi Women’s Hospital has reported an inability to process claims or offer services under the new SHA system.

In an internal memo dated October 1, 2024, the hospital outlined several unresolved issues, including lack of access to the SHA Electronic Providers Portal, absence of user credentials, and unavailability of essential member information.

As the controversy unfolds, the Kenya Renal Association has also weighed in, expressing concern about the impact on dialysis services.

In a statement, the association highlighted NHIF’s failure to adjust reimbursement rates and fully remit claims, which has forced several dialysis units to shut down.

The legality of the transition itself has also come under scrutiny. Some Kenyans have decried being forcefully migrated to SHIF, a move that has been termed illegal by lawyers.

While the Ministry of Health claims the automatic migration is backed by Legal Notice 147 of 2024, legal experts contend that this law may not have adhered to proper procedures before its enactment.

Data protection lawyer James Mbugua explained that the Statutory Instruments Act of 2013 requires public consultations for regulations affecting citizens, followed by tabling before Parliament within seven days of publication.