Rural and Urban Association Chairman Brian Lishenga duringa a media briefing on February 23,2025.[Benard Orwongo,Standard]

Patients under the Social Health Authority (SHA) will now be required to pay cash for services in private hospitals after the Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) issued directives.

In a notice issued on Sunday, RUPHA explained that the decision was necessitated by delayed and unsettled payments from SHA.

The notice, effective from September 22, 2025, advised patients that only cash payments would be accepted unless otherwise stated.

"We regret the inconvenience this may cause and assure you that this action is driven by our commitment to ensure hospitals remain open, essential supplies and equipment are available, and staff can continue to serve you with the highest standards of care," the management stated.

Hospitals expressed hope that the impasse would be resolved quickly to allow the resumption of normal service arrangements with SHA.

The delay in remittance of SHA claims has been a concern over time since the insurance system began operations in 2024 replacing the National Health Insurance Fund(NHIF).

The move is expected to affect thousands of patients who rely on private hospitals for specialised care, raising fresh questions about the sustainability of Kenya's new universal health coverage scheme.