Health leader Deborah Barasa has told private hospitals that the government will pay the big 30 billion shilling debt they owe.
She knows police officers and teachers can't visit these hospitals, so Barasa and her team at the Social Health Authority have met to devise a plan for paying the money.
"We are talking with Treasury and other parts of government to make sure we pay this debt. The services can start again," she said. "We will pay what we owe."
Barasa was answering questions from Senators Enoch Wambu and Seki Lenku. Lenku asked if she knew that workers like police and teachers couldn't get help at private hospitals because of money problems.
Last week, private hospitals stopped helping people with SHA cards because they hadn't been paid. The group of private hospitals wants the government to pay all the 30 billion shillings. They say more than half of hospitals haven't received any money from SHA.
But Barasa says they are paying hospitals on time. "We said we would pay them in 90 days, but we actually pay them in 30 days," she said.
She explained the problem was with how they manage claims, which have been fixed. Barasa also said NHIF had 1.4 billion shillings before changing to SHA. SHA is closing most NHIF bank accounts except one that collects money from employers and government groups paying NHIF debt.
She knows police officers and teachers can't visit these hospitals, so Barasa and her team at the Social Health Authority have met to devise a plan for paying the money.
"We are talking with Treasury and other parts of government to make sure we pay this debt. The services can start again," she said. "We will pay what we owe."
Barasa was answering questions from Senators Enoch Wambu and Seki Lenku. Lenku asked if she knew that workers like police and teachers couldn't get help at private hospitals because of money problems.
Last week, private hospitals stopped helping people with SHA cards because they hadn't been paid. The group of private hospitals wants the government to pay all the 30 billion shillings. They say more than half of hospitals haven't received any money from SHA.
But Barasa says they are paying hospitals on time. "We said we would pay them in 90 days, but we actually pay them in 30 days," she said.
She explained the problem was with how they manage claims, which have been fixed. Barasa also said NHIF had 1.4 billion shillings before changing to SHA. SHA is closing most NHIF bank accounts except one that collects money from employers and government groups paying NHIF debt.
