The Social Health Authority (SHA) has strongly denied claims that it released Sh20 million to a ghost health facility in Homa Bay, insisting the reports are untrue and risk misleading the public.
The authority accused a section of the media of circulating a false account without verification. It said the allegations undermined professional standards expected in reporting.
“The Social Health Authority (SHA) has noted with concern a misleading article published on August 22, 2025, alleging that SHA disbursed Sh20 million to a ghost facility. These claims are false, misleading, and undermine basic principles of responsible journalism such as accuracy, fairness, and balance,” the authority said.
Providing clarity on the matter, SHA explained that Nyandiwa Level 4 Hospital in Gwassi, Suba South, has been in operation since the 1970s.
The facility, which began as Nyandiwa Dispensary before being upgraded, retained its original bank account name even after the elevation, a practice the authority described as standard across the country.
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On the financial transactions, SHA outlined that the disputed sum of Sh19,998,720 represented legitimate accumulated claims, all processed through its verification and payment protocols.
The hospital, it added, has also received Sh751,504 under the Primary Health Care programme and Sh82,080,706 through the Social Health Insurance Fund since October 2024, with both allocations acknowledged by the facility.
The authority also addressed images of an abandoned structure circulated in media reports.
It clarified that the building in question was one of the incomplete projects undertaken by a previous county administration and had never been contracted by SHA nor permitted to handle any transactions.
To assure the public of transparency, SHA noted that details of every disbursement are published on its website after processing.
It further explained that allocations cover a wide range of packages, including inpatient, outpatient, surgical, maternity, dialysis, mental health, imaging, and oncology services.
Because of this, it warned against simplistic comparisons between different facilities.
The authority went on to stress its firm commitment to safeguarding public resources and strengthening service delivery.
“SHA does not and will never disburse funds to non-existent or uncontracted facilities. Every payment is subject to rigorous verification to safeguard public funds and strengthen health service delivery,” the statement read.
In response to the controversy, SHA urged news outlets to verify information before publishing. It said journalists could have avoided misleading the public if they had confirmed details with either the authority or county health officials.
“A simple verification with SHA or the Homa Bay County Department of Health would have clarified the distinction between Nyandiwa Level 4 Hospital (an operational facility with active claims), and the uncommissioned structure visited by journalists,” the authority said.
SHA appealed to journalists to maintain responsibility in their coverage, stressing that accurate information is essential, particularly when reporting on health financing reforms tied to Kenya’s pursuit of universal health coverage.
