The Social Health Authority (SHA) in Kenya has set a deadline of September 30, 2026, for healthcare providers to complete new contracts or risk being excluded from the scheme. Existing contracts with healthcare facilities will expire at 11:59 pm on September 30. Facilities without an executed contract for the new 2026-2029 cycle will not be allowed to provide services to SHA beneficiaries and will lose access to the SHA provider portal.
The new contracting framework, known as HAKIKA, runs from October 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029. It was launched by the Ministry of Health on September 18, alongside an electronic contracting platform. The framework aims to set clearer terms around benefits, tariffs, reimbursement, quality standards, claims, and dispute resolution. The contracts cover services financed through various funds, including the Primary Healthcare Fund and the Social Health Insurance Fund.
As of September 27, 7,244 facilities had submitted expressions of interest, but SHA has stressed that an expression of interest does not constitute a contract. Only facilities with executed agreements will remain eligible to serve beneficiaries from October 1. Healthcare providers can submit applications, upload documents, verify licenses, execute agreements, and track the process through the electronic platform.
The deadline could affect people already receiving treatment at facilities that have not completed the new contracting process. SHA has directed such facilities to make arrangements for patients undergoing ongoing treatment to be transferred to contracted providers, aiming to avoid interruptions in care. This is particularly relevant for patients receiving chronic, specialist, or continuing treatment.
The contracting deadline also comes as providers face the expiry of an extended deadline for Health Management Information System (HMIS) compliance. Under the new arrangements, healthcare facilities are required to have their digital systems certified and integrated with the Digital Health Agency to remain eligible for SHA services. This is part of SHA's wider shift towards electronic verification, claims processing, and digital management of healthcare services.
For hospitals, September 30 is more than a paperwork deadline; it determines whether they remain inside SHA's provider network for the next three-year contracting cycle. For patients, the practical question from October 1 will be: Is my hospital still contracted by SHA? That answer could determine where their SHA-funded treatment can be accessed.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Aden Bare Duale, who assumed the position on March 25, 2025, has overseen the implementation of the new contracting framework. The Ministry of Health has introduced the electronic contracting platform to streamline the process and increase efficiency. The impact of the looming deadline on patients and healthcare providers will be significant, with many facilities at risk of being locked out of the scheme.
Key points
- The Social Health Authority has given healthcare providers until September 30, 2026, to complete new contracts or risk being excluded from the scheme.
- The new contracting framework, HAKIKA, aims to set clearer terms around benefits, tariffs, reimbursement, quality standards, claims, and dispute resolution.
- The deadline could affect people already receiving treatment at facilities that have not completed the new contracting process, particularly those receiving chronic, specialist, or continuing treatment.
