SHA Launches Plan to Send Patients Abroad for Specialised Care

The Social Health Authority (SHA) will begin offering Kenyan patients access to specialised medical treatments abroad from 14 April.

SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi said nine hospitals in Turkey, India, and Saudi Arabia have been selected as partners. The initiative targets treatments not currently available in Kenya, providing patients with advanced care in areas such as oncology, organ transplantation, and robotic-assisted surgery.

Turkey’s Acıbadem Healthcare Group will host four partner hospitals, renowned for cancer care and cardiovascular services. In India, SHA has partnered with KIMS Hospitals, which specialises in cardiac and neurological procedures, and the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, South Asia and the Middle East’s only proton therapy facility. 

Saudi Arabia’s partners include Dr Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, known for IVF and robotic surgery, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, a leader in genomic medicine and complex transplants, and another private hospital offering advanced medical care. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the programme covers only procedures unavailable in Kenya. 

Thirty-six treatments have been identified, with each case funded up to Ksh500,000. Patients will first undergo local assessment; if referral abroad is approved, SHA will manage payments directly with the hospital. Follow-up care will take place in Kenya.

The programme is designed to bridge gaps in Kenya’s healthcare system while reducing the financial burden of medical travel. SHA aims to provide structured access to specialised treatments without relying on informal or costly arrangements.