The Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association (RUPHA) Chairperson Brian Lishenga has recently warned that private hospitals risk closing down by December 2025 if the government fails to clear outstanding debts.
Speaking during an interview, Lishenga noted that the billions owed by the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the Social Health Authority (SHA) have pushed private health facilities to the brink.
The RUPHA Chair went on to caution that the private hospitals may be forced to switch to a 100 percent cash payment model before patients can receive treatment.
RUPHA Warns Private Hospitals May Shut Down by December 2025 Over Unpaid Debts. Photo: Courtesy.
According to Lishenga, the failure by the government to clear the outstanding debts could trigger the collapse of SHA.
Notably the warning comes days after RUPHA issued a 14-day go-slow notice to the Ministry of Health over the NHIF debt.
In a statement on September 5, the association noted that private hospitals are struggling as the government has failed to honour a presidential directive to settle debts of Ksh10 million and below.
RUPHA demanded the settlement of the NHIF debt and payment of 50 percent of outstanding SHA liabilities within 14 days.
