Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has called on the Social Health Authority (SHA) Board to heighten vigilance in fraud detection and boost accountability, as Kenya moves to implement Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under the TaifaCare programme.

His remarks come a day after he raised alarm over persistent corruption and mismanagement in the health sector, urging immediate reforms to restore integrity and public confidence in government-led health initiatives.

Speaking on Monday, June 30, 2025, during a high-level meeting with the SHA Board at the Authority’s headquarters in Nairobi, Duale emphasised the need for transparent, people-centred governance, warning that the misuse of resources and corruption remain major threats to the country’s health sector.

“Every policy decision we make in this room carries profound implications for Kenyans across the country – from the expectant mother in Migori to the cancer patient in Nyeri, to the elderly citizen in Garissa,” Duale said.

“They all rely on us to build a health financing system that is efficient, sustainable, and truly worthy of their trust.”

The CS outlined three strategic pillars to guide SHA’s operations: enforcing strict financial discipline within the 5 per cent administrative expenditure ceiling, instituting comprehensive audit systems to protect the integrity of the fund, and providing visionary leadership to steer the Authority’s long-term growth.

Duale also urged the Board to prioritise timely claim settlements and the generation of sustainable revenue streams to support the continuity and impact of TaifaCare.

 “Your oversight in these areas will determine whether we realise TaifaCare’s full potential,” he stated.

Noting that fraud presents the most significant risk to the sustainability of the programme, the CS challenged the SHA leadership to take a firm stand.

“The trust Kenyans have placed in us demands nothing less than our unwavering commitment to protecting every shilling meant for their healthcare,” he said.

The meeting was chaired by SHA Board Chairperson Abdi Mohamed and attended by SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi. Duale was accompanied by the Director General for Health Patrick Amoth.

SHA irregularities

 On Sunday, June 29,2025, Duale launched a crackdown on fraudulent activities targeting the newly launched Social Health Authority (SHA) Fund, warning of dire consequences for healthcare facilities, workers, and patients engaged in abuse of the system.

He confirmed that 31 private hospitals across the country have been shut down for a range of illegal practices aimed at siphoning money from the public health fund.

“We have closed seven hospitals in Kisumu and others in Bungoma, Busia, Nairobi, Mandera, Wajir, Kajiado, and Kilifi,” he said.

“These facilities think they can continue stealing public money the way they did under NHIF. We will not allow that.”

Among the malpractices identified are falsifying patient data, double-claiming payments, and manipulating bed capacity—where small clinics with as few as 14 beds falsely claimed to operate 100-bed hospitals.

A statement released by the Health CS further detailed the scope of the fraud, citing incidents of ghost patient admissions, forced or unnecessary inpatient admissions, and the misuse of pre-authorisation and patient access codes to claim payments for services not rendered.

“Some healthcare workers are giving out pre-authorisation codes to enable hospitals to submit false claims,” Duale warned.

“If you’re doing this, we’re coming for you.”

1/3: Health CS Hon. Aden Duale has called on the SHA Board to enhance fraud detection, reinforce provider oversight, and uphold financial discipline to safeguard the integrity and sustainability of the TaifaCare programme. https://t.co/ErUvSUbzi9 pic.twitter.com/efptK0NpOF

— Ministry of Health (@MOH_Kenya) June 30, 2025