The Social Health Authority (SHA) has announced changes to how healthcare providers and facilities will be contracted, with a new contracting cycle set to begin on October 1, 2026.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The new contracting cycle will run until June 30, 2029, with SHA preparing new agreements that will govern its engagement with healthcare providers and facilities across the country.

SHA has developed proposed contracts covering four funds: the Primary Health Care Fund (PHCF), Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF), and Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF).

Under the proposed framework, the Primary Health Care Fund contract will set out the terms and obligations for providers and facilities delivering primary healthcare services covered under the fund.

📌 What You Need to Know

The Social Health Insurance Fund contract will establish the requirements for providers delivering services covered under SHIF, while the ECCIF contract will govern facilities providing emergency, chronic and critical illness services.

The fourth agreement will cover the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, setting out the terms under which healthcare providers and facilities will participate in the scheme serving public officers.

The contracting changes come as the government continues integrating community-based healthcare workers into the country's digital health and insurance systems.

President William Ruto has directed that more than 107,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) be incorporated into the SHA plan, with their stipend arrangements set for review by December 2026.

Speaking at the Health Summit on August 18, Health CS Aden Duale said the integration would begin on August 20-21 after verification. “All the CHP workers have been included in the Digital Health Agency,” Duale said.

SHA said the contracting process is being undertaken pursuant to the Social Health Insurance Act, which requires the Authority to empanel and contract healthcare providers and facilities after inspection, licensing and certification by the relevant bodies.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke