Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has launched a scathing attack on Kenya Medical Association (KMA) chairman Dr. Simon Kigondu, dismissing his recent criticism of the Social Health Authority (SHA) and defending the government’s ongoing crackdown on fraudulent health facilities.
In a statement released on Monday night, Duale rubbished claims that SHA is a fraudulent scheme and insisted that the authority remains committed to transparency, accountability, and efficiency in service delivery. According to Duale, the SHA reforms are meant to protect patients and taxpayers by ensuring that only genuine facilities offering authentic medical services are supported.
The CS accused the KMA boss of defending health providers whose claims had been flagged or rejected due to serious irregularities. He argued that it was disturbing for the leader of a professional association to appear aligned with institutions allegedly implicated in fraudulent activities. Duale alleged that some of these facilities had submitted false claims or engaged in practices that misuse public funds.
At the heart of the dispute is SHA’s digital innovation, the Practise360 application, which has become a focal point of contention. Dr. Kigondu has described the system as impractical and restrictive, further alleging that SHA has accumulated more debt in ten months than its predecessor, the NHIF, did in six years. He argued that the system undermines access to essential services and places unnecessary burdens on health providers.
Duale, however, defended the application, crediting it with uncovering multiple fraudulent schemes within the healthcare system. He revealed that before the rollout of Practise360, some health workers were colluding with rogue facilities to issue pre-authorisations for non-existent treatments. Others reportedly sold OTP codes to facilitate false claims. According to the CS, the new system has effectively disrupted these practices, safeguarding public resources and restoring integrity to health financing.
Duale further suggested that the KMA chairman has vested interests, alleging ownership of some of the facilities flagged by SHA’s digital systems. He urged Dr. Kigondu to set aside personal interests and support reforms aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery for millions of Kenyans.
The standoff between the Health Ministry and KMA highlights the growing tension over the implementation of SHA reforms, which are positioned as a cornerstone of the government’s universal health coverage agenda. As calls for accountability and transparency mount, the clash underscores the struggle to balance provider concerns with the government’s push to stamp out fraud in the health sector.
