Healthcare delivery across the country has faced a major challenge following a system failure that has interrupted key digital services used by hospitals. The disruption has affected how medical facilities process approvals for patient treatment, creating delays in care for many people who rely on timely authorisation before services can be offered.
The issue involves the Social Health Authority, which confirmed that its digital platforms are currently unavailable nationwide. These platforms are used by contracted hospitals to request and receive approval for treatment, especially for costly or specialised procedures. Without this system, hospitals are unable to complete normal pre-authorisation steps, which are required before treatment can proceed under the national health coverage structure.
In a statement released on March 2, the authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Mercy Mwangangi, explained that the outage began on Sunday, March 1, and has since affected healthcare facilities across the country. She noted that the failure has interfered with normal hospital operations and slowed down how quickly patients can receive confirmation that their treatment will be covered.
The authority clarified that the disruption did not originate from its internal systems. Instead, it is linked to a service outage at the Digital Health Agency, which provides essential digital infrastructure used by the authority to run its services.
The connection between the two organisations means that any downtime at the agency directly affects how the authority functions.
“This is to formally notify you of a service interruption and downtime affecting the Digital Health Agency’s services, which are critical to the Social Health Authority (SHA) operations. We have received notification from our service provider, Digital Health Agency, indicating a major incident leading to significant system unavailability,” SHA said.
The patient pre-authorisation service affected by the outage plays a central role in the healthcare system. It ensures that all medical services offered to patients meet the approved benefits and cost guidelines before treatment begins.
This process protects patients from unexpected costs, helps hospitals avoid rejected claims, and confirms that procedures are medically necessary and covered under the approved benefits package.
Because of the importance of this system, the authority acknowledged that the disruption has had real consequences for patients and healthcare workers.
Delays in approval can slow down treatment, increase pressure on hospital staff, and create uncertainty for patients waiting for care.
Mwangangi said that addressing the problem is the authority’s top priority and that teams are working continuously to restore services. “Our technical teams, in close collaboration with the Digital Health Agency, are fully mobilised and working with the highest urgency to identify the root cause and restore full functionality,” Mwangangi stated.
She also addressed the effect on daily hospital operations and patient care. “We understand the critical nature of these services for your daily operations and patient care, and we sincerely apologise for the significant inconvenience and disruption this is causing,” stated Mwangangi.
The authority further assured healthcare providers and the public that communication will remain open throughout the process. While no timeline has been given for full restoration, updates will be shared regularly until systems are stable again.
“We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging period. We are committed to resolving this issue urgently. Regular updates will be shared with you until full, reliable service restoration is achieved,” highlighted SHA in a statement.
