Hospitals nationwide are poised to disrupt delivery services provided under Kenya’s Linda Mama program, citing the government’s prolonged delay in releasing funds, asserts the Rural Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA).
“The government owes a staggering debt totaling Sh3 billion, and Linda Mama funds have not been disbursed for the past eight months.” RUPHA National Chairman Brian Lishenga emphasized
This delay impacts approximately 3,000 hospitals, including public, private, and faith-based institutions, participating in the program.
In a memo addressed to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), hospitals issue a 14-day ultimatum for the government to settle its outstanding debts, warning that failure to do so will result in the withdrawal of services.
“There is a lack of commitment from NHIF, the Ministry of Health, and the National Treasury to address the debt crisis.” Dr. Lishenga expresses dismay
Despite a recent allocation in the 2022/23 financial year and a partial payment of Sh300 million in February this year, representing only a fraction of the owed amount, concerns persist that the debt may remain unresolved, especially amidst proposed changes in medical schemes from NHIF to the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The Linda Mama program, inaugurated in 2016 under NHIF by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, aims to mitigate maternal and infant mortality rates across the country.
