Thousands of healthcare facilities could lose access to Social Health Authority (SHA) services unless they connect their systems to the national digital health platform within the next three months, as the government moves to fully digitise healthcare operations across the country.
The directive was announced on Monday during a stakeholder engagement meeting in Nairobi bringing together the Ministry of Health, the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Digital Health Agency (DHA) to discuss the ongoing migration from the current SHA Provider Portal to a new integrated digital system.
The government said the transition is intended to create a more efficient healthcare environment by linking providers to a central platform that supports service delivery, claims management and accountability.
SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi said all healthcare providers must complete the integration process within the set timeline or face removal from the authority's network.
"Within the next three months, I expect all providers to be fully integrated. If not, we will have no option but to decontract non-compliant facilities," Mwangangi said.
She noted that the new arrangement is expected to make claims management smoother, cut reimbursement delays and strengthen oversight within the health sector.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the reforms mark an important milestone in the country's efforts to modernise healthcare and deliver Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
"A robust digital ecosystem that seamlessly connects providers, patients, regulators and healthcare financiers is essential to the success of Taifa Care," said Duale.
According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 11,034 healthcare facilities have already been accredited by SHA and are expected to transition to the new system as part of the reforms.
The government is gradually retiring the existing SHA Provider Portal as it shifts to a fully digital and paperless framework designed to improve coordination and efficiency within the healthcare sector.
SHA said the integrated platform will help speed up reimbursement processes, improve operational performance and enhance accountability among healthcare providers.
The announcement came as the Ministry of Health also unveiled the deployment of 6,784 healthcare interns under the 2026/2027 Internship Programme, supported by a Sh9.316 billion investment.
The ministry said the programme is aimed at strengthening the country's health workforce and supporting the delivery of quality healthcare services under the government's Universal Health Coverage agenda.
The interns include 875 Medical Officer Interns, 69 Dental Officer Interns, 616 Pharmacist Interns, 2,424 Bachelor of Science Nursing Officer Interns, 705 Bachelor of Science Clinical Officer Interns and 2,096 Diploma Clinical Officer Interns.
The ministry said the placement exercise was undertaken through cooperation between the national government, county governments, professional regulatory bodies, training institutions, professional associations, unions and development partners.
It added that the collaboration has helped improve transparency and accountability in the internship placement process while ensuring equitable deployment of healthcare workers across the country.
The new interns are entering the health sector as the government continues implementing reforms aimed at improving access to healthcare services and strengthening health systems.
They are expected to contribute to programmes such as the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) Acceleration Plan, the Maternal and Newborn Health Rapid Results Initiative, the Social Health Authority (SHA), quality improvement initiatives and the ongoing digitisation of health services.