Healthcare providers across Kenya have been given additional time to complete their new contracts with the Social Health Authority after the agency extended the deadline for the 2026–2029 contracting cycle.
The Social Health Authority announced on Thursday, October 1, that healthcare facilities would now have until October 14 to complete the contracting process.
The extension comes after SHA had previously warned that existing contracts would expire at midnight on September 30 and that facilities that had not completed the new process could lose access to the SHA provider portal from October 1.
Under the latest communication, however, facilities will continue operating under their existing contracts during the additional 14-day period.
The development is significant for millions of Kenyans who rely on facilities contracted under the national health insurance system.
The contracting process is part of a new framework introduced by SHA for the period running from October 2026 to June 2029. The authority has described the new arrangement as part of efforts to standardise how healthcare providers are contracted and paid under the Social Health Insurance framework.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale recently launched the 2026–2029 contracting cycle, known as the HAKIKA framework, together with an electronic contracting platform intended to streamline the process.
The transition, however, has been accompanied by disagreements between SHA and some private and faith-based healthcare providers.
Some hospitals have raised concerns about provisions contained in the proposed contracts, particularly issues relating to payment and financial responsibility when claims are delayed.
The Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya has questioned aspects of the new contract, including what it considers a gap between certain provisions in the law and the terms contained in the proposed agreement.
SHA had previously extended the period during which healthcare providers could submit their views on the proposed contracts after private and faith-based hospitals requested additional time to examine the documents.
The latest extension therefore provides hospitals with another opportunity to complete the process without an immediate interruption to their existing contractual arrangements.
For patients, the issue is particularly important because disruption at contracted facilities could affect access to healthcare services for people depending on SHA coverage.
SHA had warned that facilities that failed to renew their contracts would lose access to beneficiaries from October 1. The new announcement effectively gives providers an additional two weeks to meet the requirements.
The authority is also seeking to move more of the contracting process online.
The HAKIKA framework and e-contracting platform are intended to improve administration and make the relationship between SHA and healthcare providers more structured.
However, the success of the new system will depend not only on digital processes but also on whether the authority and healthcare providers can resolve outstanding disagreements over contract terms.
Private hospitals and faith-based facilities play a significant role in Kenya’s healthcare system, particularly in areas where public facilities may be under pressure.
Their participation in the SHA system is therefore important for maintaining a broad network of providers available to beneficiaries.
The extension announced on October 1 temporarily removes the immediate deadline pressure, but it does not resolve all the disagreements surrounding the new contracts.
Healthcare providers now have until October 14 to complete the contracting process, while SHA will be under pressure to ensure that the transition does not interfere with patients’ access to care.
The coming two weeks are consequently expected to be important for both sides as they work through the remaining contractual issues.
For patients, the most important question remains straightforward: whether the transition to the new contracting framework will improve access to healthcare without creating new barriers at hospitals and clinics.
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