Kenya Minute.
Thursday, 24 September 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Thursday, 24 September 2026
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Kenyan press · Person

Mercy Mwangangi

Also known as: Dr Mercy Mwangangi · SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi · Dr. Mercy Mwangangi · SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi · Dr Mwangangi

CEO of the Social Health Authority, leading Universal Health Coverage reforms and digital health transformation in Kenya.

2026-04-262026-09-24

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. September 2026
  2. The Standard

    On her part, SHA CEO Dr Mercy Mwangangi has maintained that the contract shall ensure patients get quality care, in actualisation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

    SHA, hospitals meet over new contract row
  3. The Standard

    ne 30, 2029.The contract applies to the Primary Health Care Fund (PHCF), Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF) and Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF).The extension was made by SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi

    SHA extends deadline for hospitals to review proposed contracts
  4. The Standard

    In a notice dated Tuesday, September 1, SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi said the new compliance deadline is September 30, extending the previous deadline of September 1.

    Hospitals get one more month on SHA digital compliance rules
  5. August 2026
  6. The Standard

    frontline workers delivering healthcare at the household level.The money, allocated under the 2026/27 financial year, has already been wired to the SHA account, according to a letter by Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni to SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi

    Government releases Sh396 million to provide health cover for CHPs
  7. Capital News

    SHA chief executive officer Mercy Mwangangi told the committee that 32,180,494 Kenyans had registered with the Authority as of July 31, 2026, equivalent to 67.7 per cent of the national population.

    Only 1 in 6 SHA members actively contributing despite 32m registration
  8. Citizen Digital

    ces and disaster response across all 47 counties. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-m', container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails', placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' }); SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi

    Gov't launches 922 emergency response system with free ambulance services
  9. The Standard

    In a notice issued on Saturday, SHA Chief Executive Mercy Mwangangi directed all contracted healthcare providers to comply with their legal and contractual obligation to provide emergency medical care without discrimination, including when a patient's SHA benefits have not yet be

    SHA warns hospitals against denying patients emergency care
  10. July 2026
  11. Capital News

    Mercy Mwangangi said. Under the new payment framework, SHA will first determine each facility’s monthly reimbursement using the existing weighted global budget capitation model.

    SHA to penalize clinics that fail to dispense prescribed medicines under new reimbursement rules
  12. Citizen Digital

    Mercy Mwangangi, DHA Chief Executive Officer Eng. Anthony Lenaiyara, representatives of the Safaricom Consortium, KEMSA, and other implementing agencies.

    SHA, DHA, KEMSA meet to fast-track healthcare digitization agenda
  13. Capital News

    The biometric verification will be used to confirm the child’s identity and ensure that healthcare services are accessed by the rightful beneficiary. “Parents or guardians are required to give consent for the fingerprint to be captured,” SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi said.

    SHA Introduces Fingerprint Verification For Children Aged 7–17 To Curb Health Insurance Fraud

Sunday 20 September

  1. SHA meets hospitals over disputed 2026/27 contract terms

    The Social Health Authority is meeting with associations of private and faith-based hospitals to resolve disagreements over a new contract cycle (HAKIKA) set for October 1. The hospital consortiums have submitted about 40 items of concern, including objections to hospitals bearing financial burden when SHA delays payment of claims.

    20 September 2026 · The Standard

Monday 14 September

  1. SHA extends hospital contract review deadline to September 17

    The Social Health Authority has extended the deadline for healthcare providers to submit views on proposed contracts from September 10 to September 17, 2026, following requests from private and faith-based hospitals for more time to review documents covering the contracting period from October 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.

    14 September 2026 · The Standard

Tuesday 1 September

  1. SHA extends hospital digital compliance deadline to September 30

    The Social Health Authority has extended the deadline for healthcare providers to comply with Health Management Information System requirements by one month, to September 30, to give them more time to complete system configuration and other compliance processes under the new digital health framework.

    1 September 2026 · The Standard

Monday 31 August

  1. Government allocates Sh396 million for CHPs health cover

    The government has released Sh396 million to the Social Health Authority to provide health cover for all 107,800 Community Health Promoters and their families, following President Ruto's pledge to protect frontline healthcare workers. The cover allows CHPs to access health services from Level 2 hospitals up to Level 6 referral hospitals.

    31 August 2026 · The Standard

Saturday 29 August

  1. Only 5 million SHA members actively contributing despite 32m enrolled

    The Social Health Authority has registered over 32 million Kenyans, but only about 5 million are actively contributing, prompting Parliament's Health Committee to call for urgent measures to convert registrations into sustained participation in the Government's Universal Health Coverage reforms.

    29 August 2026 · Capital News

Wednesday 5 August

  1. Government launches 922 emergency ambulance dispatch system

    President Ruto has launched the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre, a digital command centre at the Social Health Authority that links more than 600 accredited public and private ambulances into a single nationwide emergency response system accessible by dialling 922. The platform is designed to improve coordination of emergency medical services and disaster response across all 47 counties, with trained medical dispatchers using GPS technology to identify the nearest available ambulance.

    5 August 2026 · Citizen Digital

Monday 3 August

  1. SHA warns contracted hospitals against denying emergency care

    The Social Health Authority has directed all contracted healthcare providers to provide emergency medical care without discrimination based on ability to pay or benefit verification, threatening loss of accreditation for those who deny or delay treatment. The directive invokes Article 43(2) of the Constitution and addresses concerns over patients being asked for upfront payments before receiving urgent care.

    3 August 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 22 July

  1. SHA penalizes clinics failing to dispense prescribed medicines

    The Social Health Authority has announced a new reimbursement model that will reduce payments to contracted primary healthcare facilities that fail to dispense prescribed medicines, aiming to ensure patients receive the full range of services covered under the Primary Healthcare Fund. SHA will monitor each facility's medicine-dispensing rate through the Digital Health Agency platform and reimburse based on services delivered.

    22 July 2026 · Capital News

Thursday 9 July

  1. SHA, DHA, KEMSA convene to advance healthcare digitization

    The Principal Secretary for Medical Services chaired a meeting of the Healthcare IT Digitization Programme Steering Committee, bringing together the Safaricom Consortium, Digital Health Authority, Social Health Authority, Kenya Medical Supplies Authority and other agencies to review progress on Universal Health Coverage digital transformation and accelerate programme delivery.

    9 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Tuesday 7 July

  1. SHA deploys fingerprint verification for child health insurance beneficiaries

    The Social Health Authority has introduced biometric fingerprint identification for registered children aged 7–17 to verify their identity at healthcare facilities and prevent fraud. Parents or guardians must consent to the capture, and alternative verification using contributor ID and one-time password is available where fingerprint capture is not possible.

    7 July 2026 · Capital News

Wednesday 1 July

  1. Public servants demand SHA reforms over healthcare access delays

    Public servants have called for urgent reforms to the Social Health Authority, citing delays in accessing treatment, lengthy pre-authorisation procedures, and biometric verification failures. They urged SHA to establish dedicated customer service desks, expand physical offices, publish monthly performance reports, and guarantee uninterrupted medical cover for retirees.

    1 July 2026 · The Standard

Tuesday 30 June

  1. SHA mandates hospitals integrate digitally within three months

    The Social Health Authority has given healthcare providers three months to integrate with the Health Management Information System, with the SHA CEO warning that non-compliant facilities will face consequences. The move is part of Kenya's digital health transformation aimed at Universal Health Coverage.

    30 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

  2. Cabinet Secretary orders SHA to clear Sh4 billion NHIF legacy claims

    Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has directed the Social Health Authority to release Sh4 billion allocated to settle verified legacy debts owed to small healthcare facilities by the defunct NHIF within two weeks, after the SHA CEO said disbursements would begin in July.

    30 June 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 24 June

  1. SHA suspends MP Shah Hospital pending investigations

    The Social Health Authority has temporarily suspended MP Shah Hospital from its panel of contracted healthcare providers pending the conclusion of ongoing investigations. The suspension, effective June 23, 2026, affects critical services under multiple funds, though current patients may continue receiving care until discharge.

    24 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

  2. SHA suspends MP Shah Hospital pending investigations

    The Social Health Authority has temporarily suspended MP Shah Hospital from its panel of contracted healthcare providers pending the conclusion of ongoing investigations, effective June 23, 2026. Patients already admitted will complete their care, but new admissions have been redirected to other SHA-contracted providers.

    24 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

  3. MP Shah Hospital suspended pending SHA billing investigation

    M.P. Shah Hospital has been temporarily suspended from offering services under government-funded health insurance schemes following billing complaints, effective June 23, 2026. The hospital said it will cooperate with the Social Health Authority's investigation.

    24 June 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 17 June

  1. Teacher claims SHA demanded marriage proof for IVF coverage

    A high school teacher reported being asked to provide a marriage certificate before accessing IVF treatment under the Social Health Authority's new fertility coverage for teachers, sparking outcry over the requirement. SHA later stated the request was an error.

    17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

Friday 12 June

  1. SHA to surcharge hospitals not dispensing prescribed drugs

    Starting Monday, hospitals accredited by the Social Health Authority to offer primary healthcare will face surcharges if they do not dispense prescribed drugs to patients after treating them.

    12 June 2026 · The Standard

Friday 15 May

  1. Senators demand SHA explain Sh16 billion claims rejection criteria

    The Social Health Authority has rejected Sh16 billion worth of claims since October 2024, with Nairobi County accounting for Sh3.8 billion of the rejections. CEO Mercy Mwangangi told the Senate Health Committee that Sh139.5 billion in payments have been made to health facilities as of April 30, while Sh31.5 billion in claims remain under review.

    15 May 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 13 May

  1. New SHA package clarifies maternity, sickle cell, cancer services

    Kenya's Health Cabinet Secretary has gazetted a new healthcare benefit package under the Social Health Act, 2023, that includes maternity, haematology, and oncology services. Patients with sickle cell anaemia say the allocations—such as Sh70,000 for red cell exchange, covered up to three times per policy period—remain unchanged and too low, with care limited to understaffed public hospitals.

    13 May 2026 · The Standard

Tuesday 12 May

  1. SHA expands free maternity and cancer care coverage nationwide

    The Social Health Authority has expanded health benefit packages to include free maternity services at primary healthcare facilities and increased cancer treatment coverage, following directives from President Ruto and findings from public participation data. Facilities will receive Sh10,000 for normal delivery and Sh30,000 for caesarean sections.

    12 May 2026 · Capital News

Monday 11 May

  1. SHA launches free maternity services at dispensaries and health centres

    The Social Health Authority will provide free delivery services at Level 2 and Level 3 facilities, reimbursing them Sh10,000 for normal deliveries and Sh30,000 for caesarean sections, ending out-of-pocket costs for mothers. SHA also raised cancer benefit packages and expanded coverage for oncology consultations, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and diagnostic services.

    11 May 2026 · The Standard

Sunday 26 April

  1. SHA threatens contract termination over new tariff negotiations

    The Social Health Authority has warned contracted healthcare providers that failure to agree on new tariffs under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund will result in immediate contract termination, with nationwide negotiations beginning Monday. During negotiations, providers must not charge POMSF beneficiaries out-of-pocket fees or co-payments, and talks are set to conclude within four weeks.

    26 April 2026 · The Standard

Mercy Mwangangi — Kenyan press coverage · Kenya Minute