Mbagathi Hospital Key Referral Hub Sha

Mbagathi County Referral Hospital is positioning itself as a critical Level 5 referral facility under the strengthened Social Health Authority (SHA) framework.

This follows the official launch of the Usalama Cover on Thursday, April 2, at Avenue Hospital, led by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.

The cover brings National Police Service and Kenya Prison Service officers into the public officers’ medical scheme under SHA, marking a major milestone in the Universal Health Coverage agenda.

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Duale described the initiative as a deliberate government effort to improve the welfare of security officers, noting that it reflects a broader transformation under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

At the center of this shift is Mbagathi County Referral Hospital, which plays a crucial role in managing referred and specialised cases under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

While Level 2, 3, and 4 facilities handle primary healthcare services, Mbagathi has enhanced its capacity in critical care, emergency response, and chronic disease management.

Data from the hospital, provided by CEO Dr Alexander Irungu Wanjiru, shows a significant decline in waiver requests an indicator of improved financial coverage under SHA.

In Quarter 1 (July–September), the hospital recorded waivers totaling Sh12,109,733 with September alone accounting for over Sh5.2 million. This dropped to Sh9,839,087 in Quarter 2, reflecting a reduction of Sh2,270,646 or 18.75 per cent.

The most notable shift occurred in Quarter 3 (January-March), where waivers fell sharply to Sh3,054,092, a decline of Sh6,784,995.00, representing a 68.96 per cent decrease. This trend has been attributed to increased patient registration under SHA, where bills especially for emergency, chronic and critical care are now covered through SHIF.

The CEO noted that consistent SHA reimbursements have stabilised hospital operations, enabling procurement of essential supplies and modern equipment.

Support from the National Equipment Service Programme (NESP) has further strengthened diagnostic and treatment capacity, improving service delivery at the referral level.

Mbagathi is also expanding services to security agencies, already serving police officers and inmates, with ongoing negotiations for a formal partnership with the Kenya Prisons Service.

“We are delighted to serve National Police Service and Kenya Prison Service officers under the newly launched programme,” the CEO said, while calling for expanded medical cover for long-term inmates.

Duale reaffirmed that SHA is fully operational, with over 30 million Kenyans registered and billions of shillings disbursed in claims, underscoring its effectiveness.

As reforms gain momentum, Mbagathi Level 5 Hospital stands out as a model referral facility bridging primary care and specialized treatment while reducing the financial burden on patients.