HEALTH: SHA Issues Directive Ahead of Rollout of Primary Care Network

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The Social Health Authority (SHA) has issued a public notice to hospitals within the Primary Care Network (PCN), outlining new directives.
SHA Acting Chief Executive Officer Elijah Wachira announced that county executive committee members must establish a PCN at the sub-county level, in line with Section 18 of the Primary Health Care Act, 2023.

According to Wachira, each Primary Care Network should feature a Level 4 sub-county hospital as the central hub, with Kenya Essential Package for Health (KEPH) Levels 3, 2, and 1 acting as the network’s spokes.

Wachira explained, “Every Primary Care Network is designated to serve a specific population, as determined by the County Primary Health Care Advisory Committee. Each person within that population will be registered within a specific PCN.”

He emphasized that the primary objective of establishing PCNs is to ensure a seamless and coordinated delivery of primary healthcare services, from the community level to healthcare facilities. This strategy aims to improve both efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.

The Act also establishes a Primary Healthcare (PHC) Fund, financed by the exchequer. Members registered with SHA are eligible beneficiaries of this fund. The PHC Fund will support the procurement of primary healthcare services from Level 2 and 3 hospitals within the PCN, covering essential outpatient care, screening, inpatient care, and maternity services.

Wachira clarified that the payment mechanism for providers will be based on the benefit package approved by the Authority’s Board.

He informed KEPH Level 2 and 3 healthcare providers that the Authority has completed compiling the list of hospitals under the PCN. Providers should visit the SHA website to review the complete list and update their information if it is missing or incorrect.

“Relevant regulatory agencies have successfully compiled the list of hospitals under the Primary Care Network, which is now published on the SHA website,” Wachira said.

“Level 2 and 3 hospitals are requested to visit our website at https://sha.go.ke/resources/categories/2 to confirm their inclusion in the directory. If your hospital is not listed or if any information is inaccurate, please contact us at [email protected] to update our records.”

For further inquiries and assistance, hospitals can reach out via [email protected], call *147#, or visit www.sha.go.ke/registration to register.