Duale: Muslim-owned facilities dominate SHA fraud crackdown

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has said that more than half of the health facilities found to have defrauded the Social Health Authority (SHA) are owned by Muslims, urging them to uphold ethical standards in their handling of public money.

Speaking to medics affiliated to the Kenya Association of Muslim Medical Professionals (KAMMP) during an Iftar dinner on Sunday evening, Mr Duale said that out of the 1,120 health facilities shut down for fraud, 55 percent belong to Muslims.

He also revealed that the Health ministry plans to close more facilities this week, and that 60 per cent of those on the list are similarly owned by Muslims.

"It is a very dangerous trend. You cannot take patients' money," he said. "You must make sure you feed your children with Halal money."

Mr Duale said neither he nor Dr Abdi Mohamed, the chairperson of the Social Health Authority (SHA), would compromise on integrity.

"Healthcare is not just a profession; it is a trust placed before us," he said.

"I urge Muslim healthcare professionals to remain at the forefront of ethical, compassionate and professional care, always trying to provide the best to the people we serve."

On February 26, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) recommended that eight facilities be charged for defrauding SHA. All eight are from Mandera County and are classified as Level 3 facilities. They were registered between January and February 2025, just months after SHA began bringing hospitals into its system.

'Moral urgency' 

They include Danaba Care Hospital, Kamishawa Medical Centre, Kaafi Nursing Home, Mama Nerbeel Nursing Home, Alati Nursing Home, Julun Nursing Home, Adfaal Kids Care Medical Centre and Dimtu Nursing Home Limited.

KAMMP, through its national Secretary-General Dr Abdallah Bajaber, condemned the facility owners for tarnishing the name of Muslims, saying integrity must not be compromised.

In a statement sent to newsrooms, Dr Bajaber quoted five verses of the Qur'an that forbid fraud in Islam.

"And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it in bribery to the rulers in order that you may consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin while you know it is unlawful," reads one verse, from Qur'an 2:188.

Dr Bajaber said it was a matter of "profound concern, moral urgency and a deep sense of national responsibility" when the Health Cabinet Secretary was compelled to single out Muslim-owned facilities in this way.

He said it was particularly alarming that most of the facilities implicated in the first and second waves of the crackdown appear to be Muslim-owned, many of them in counties with large Muslim populations.

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"This is a matter of deep pain, embarrassment and moral concern to the Muslim medical community," he said.

"Even more troubling are reports that some individuals have attempted to rationalise or defend such conduct by claiming that defrauding public funds is somehow less immoral because the money belongs to the government. KAMMP states clearly, firmly and without ambiguity that this reasoning is false, dangerous, sinful and completely contrary to Islam," he added.

Dr Bajaber called on members of the public to refuse to participate in or facilitate such schemes.

"Evidence indicates that some fraudulent schemes depend on members of the public allowing their SHA membership details to be used to generate false claims, or permitting registered membership to be used for unregistered individuals," he said.

"Assisting fraud, benefiting from fraud or remaining silent in the face of fraud is morally and legally unacceptable," he added.

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