William Ruto has rejected claims that the government lost KSh 50 billion under the country’s new health insurance system, insisting that the state is paying hospitals unprecedented amounts through the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
Speaking on the matter, the president described the allegations as propaganda and defended the government’s implementation of the health financing programme.
“Forget the propaganda that we lost KSh 50 billion. This week alone we are paying KSh 16.2 billion for SHIF,” Ruto said.
According to the president, the payments being made to hospitals under SHIF are the highest ever recorded under any Kenyan administration.
Ruto noted that the government’s focus is on ensuring health facilities across the country receive adequate funding to provide services to patients under the new system.
“We are paying the highest amounts of money to any hospital that has ever been paid under any administration,” he added.
The government’s health financing reforms, which replaced the former National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), have sparked intense public debate, with critics questioning transparency and sustainability.
However, the president maintained that the reforms are strengthening the country’s healthcare system and ensuring hospitals receive timely payments for services provided to patients.
The administration continues to defend SHIF as a key pillar of its broader agenda to expand universal healthcare access in Kenya.
