Duale warns hospitals of immediate suspension over illegal charges to teachers under SHA
By Mustafa Juma, April 24, 2026The government has issued a stern warning to healthcare facilities across the country, cautioning against illegal charges imposed on teachers seeking treatment under the Social Health Authority (SHA) scheme.
Taking to his official X account on Friday, April 24, 2026, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said any facility found demanding co-payments or charging for services already covered under SHA will face immediate suspension.
Duale emphasised that such practices are a direct violation of contractual agreements between the government and healthcare providers and undermine efforts to deliver affordable and accessible healthcare to teachers.
“The Ministry of Health cautions all contracted healthcare facilities against charging teachers or demanding co-payments for services covered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), as this violates their contractual obligations. Any facility found engaging in such practices risks immediate suspension,” Duale stated.
SHA fraud cases
The CS revealed that the Ministry of Health has already flagged several cases of suspected fraud, including inflated outpatient claims, some reportedly reaching as high as Ksh187,000.
He described the trend as a clear abuse of public resources intended to safeguard the welfare of teachers.
“Moreover, we have identified cases of inflated outpatient claims, some as high as KSh 187,000, which point to clear fraud and abuse of the system. We will not tolerate the misuse of public resources meant to safeguard teachers’ health. These funds belong to teachers, and we are committed to protecting them,” Duale stated.
Duale reiterated that funds allocated under the scheme belong to teachers and must be used solely for their intended purpose.
He warned that any misuse would attract strict penalties, including suspension and possible legal action against implicated facilities.
At the same time, the Ministry has called on teachers to remain vigilant and report any irregularities encountered while accessing healthcare services. Authorities say feedback from beneficiaries will play a crucial role in identifying rogue providers and strengthening oversight.
“We urge teachers to speak out if they are asked to pay for services that should be covered. Together, we can protect the integrity of this system,” he added.
SHA co-payments for teachers scrapped
The warning comes a day after the government scrapped co-payments for teachers under the SHA plan, in a decisive move aimed at ending a looming nationwide strike over medical cover concerns.
The breakthrough follows a high-level meeting that brought together the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Social Health Authority (SHA), Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), and Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).
Under the new arrangement, teachers across the country will no longer be required to make co-payments when visiting SHA-accredited health facilities. The medical cover has also been expanded to include more specialised care services, with additional hospitals such as Nairobi West Hospital added to the accredited list.
The day-long meeting held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in Mombasa delivered a breakthrough, effectively halting a strike that had been scheduled to begin next week. Teachers’ unions had threatened industrial action over concerns about access to medical services under the SHA scheme.