SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi says emergency treatment should not be made conditional on a patient's financial circumstances. [File, Standard]
Hospitals contracted by the Social Health Authority (SHA) risk losing their accreditation if they deny or delay emergency treatment to patients over their inability to pay.
In a notice issued on Saturday, SHA Chief Executive Mercy Mwangangi directed all contracted healthcare providers to comply with their legal and contractual obligation to provide emergency medical care without discrimination, including when a patient's SHA benefits have not yet been confirmed.
The directive comes amid concerns over reports of patients being asked to make upfront payments or provide proof of insurance before receiving urgent medical attention.
Dr Mwangangi said emergency treatment should not be made conditional on a patient's financial circumstances, benefit verification or ability to provide a deposit.
“No patient requiring emergency medical treatment should be denied care, referred or transferred solely on financial grounds,” she said in the notice.
The directive is anchored on Article 43(2) of the Constitution, which guarantees every person the right to emergency medical treatment.
Under the notice, SHA-contracted facilities are required to provide mandatory emergency services and stabilise patients requiring urgent care, even where payment arrangements have not been established.