Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced a major policy shift in Kenya’s healthcare system, declaring that the Social Health Authority (SHA) will no longer accept One-Time Password (OTP)-based authorizations for access to healthcare services.
Speaking at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) on Monday, Duale said the SHA will now require biometric health IDs or the newly launched Practice 360 app to approve medical claims and services in all contracted facilities.
“SHA will no longer accept OTP-based authorization. All approvals must be completed using a biometric health ID or the Practice 360 app,” Duale stated, emphasizing the move is aimed at preventing misuse and improving efficiency.
The new system will curb the unauthorized sharing of pre-authorization codes and allow healthcare workers to digitally review, approve, and manage claims. Biometric verification will also help eliminate paperwork and fraud, while enhancing service delivery.
Biometric registration is already operational in Level 4, 5, and 6 hospitals, with onboarding efforts underway for Level 2 and 3 facilities. The Practice 360 app is also being rolled out to enable providers to manage pre-authorization directly.
So far, SHA has registered over 25.1 million Kenyans and partnered with nearly 10,000 healthcare facilities. According to Duale, the Authority has reimbursed Ksh 47.5 billion under SHA and Ksh 6.9 billion under the primary healthcare fund since inception.
In a further digitization push, Duale launched the National Product Catalogue, integrated with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), to ensure only certified and authorized drugs are administered. Pharmaceutical companies have 30 days to upload their product data or risk delisting.
The Cabinet Secretary also unveiled the Health Information Exchange, a national platform enabling seamless data sharing between hospitals, counties, and the national health system.
“Connected facilities no longer need to submit physical documents for SHA claims. This will eliminate duplicate claims, billing fraud, and unnecessary repeat tests,” Duale affirmed.
The measures mark a significant stride toward a paperless, fraud-free, and digitized health ecosystem in Kenya.
Written By Rodney Mbua
