DUALE WARNS HEALTH FACILITIES AGAINST CHARGING FOR OUTPATIENT SERVICES

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has reiterated the government’s firm stance against public health facilities that continue to charge for outpatient services, warning that any such actions will be met with serious consequences. Duale emphasized that any hospital or clinic that disregards the presidential directive mandating free outpatient care will be treated as a crime scene and subjected to full legal action. This warning reinforces President William Ruto’s directive issued on August 8, 2025, during the funeral of former MP Phoebe Asiyo in Homa Bay.

The President ordered that all outpatient services at public health facilities, from dispensaries to sub-county hospitals (Levels 1to 4), be offered free of charge. The directive is part of the government’s broader efforts to implement universal health coverage (UHC) under the Social Health Authority (SHA). SHA benefits package include free consultations, diagnostics, medication, basic radiology such as X-rays and ultrasounds, lab tests, and immunizations. It also covers maternal and child healthcare, antenatal and postnatal services, management of non-communicable diseases, mental health support, and minor outpatient procedures.

To ensure compliance, Duale has called on citizens to report any public facility that continues to charge for outpatient services. So far, 40 hospitals have already been suspended from SHA program due to suspected fraud.