Mission Hospitals on the Brink: Catholic Bishops Warn of Deepening Crisis as Arrears Stall Services.
By Peace Muthoka.
Catholic bishops have issued a stark warning that mission hospitals across Kenya are edging toward collapse as billions of shillings in unpaid arrears from the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the Social Health Authority (SHA) continue to mount. They urged the government to act swiftly, saying the financial paralysis now threatens essential healthcare services relied upon by millions.
Speaking through the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), senior Church leaders said the prolonged delays have pushed faith-based hospitals into severe financial distress. The bishops—led by KCCB Chair Archbishop Maurice Muhatia of Kisumu, Vice Chair Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri, Nairobi Archbishop Philip Anyolo, and Mombasa Archbishop Martin Kivuva—said the situation has become untenable.
According to them, mission hospitals are now drowning in debt, struggling to pay suppliers, restock essential medical items, and retain healthcare workers. Moreover, they stressed that despite repeated government assurances, many of the claims verified under NHIF remain unpaid, even as new arrears rapidly accumulate under the SHA system.
“Our institutions are stretched to the limit,” the bishops said. “Suppliers are waiting, staff need their salaries, and hospitals need medicine. The arrears are crippling our facilities, and the government must move with speed to confront this reality.”
Their concern comes just weeks after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale acknowledged that NHIF left behind a Sh10 billion debt. He told MPs that verified claims below Sh10 million per facility—amounting to Sh5.3 billion—would be prioritised once the supplementary budget is approved. Even so, many Catholic hospitals, such as St. Mary’s Mumias Mission Hospital, remain owed tens of millions, pushing them dangerously close to closure.
The bishops insisted that while verification is ongoing, actual payments must follow immediately to prevent more mission hospitals, particularly those in rural and underserved regions, from cutting back services or shutting down entirely.
However, the financial crisis is only one of their concerns. Transitioning from health financing to governance issues, the bishops expressed growing unease over what they described as a rising trend of pushing controversial legislation through Parliament without proper public participation. They warned that this practice risks weakening democratic values and eroding civil liberties.
They pointed to the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, saying it could easily be misused to silence dissent, invade citizens’ privacy, and influence elections. The bishops urged Parliament and the Executive to respect public input, noting that laws affecting citizens’ rights must be shaped through genuine consultation.
Furthermore, they condemned the proposed Religious Regulation Bill, cautioning that attempts to control faith-based activities amount to a direct assault on freedom of worship. They emphasized that the Church and other religious institutions have a sacred responsibility to serve society, one that must remain free from political interference.
“We urge the government to refrain from regulating religion,” they said. “Faith communities have a divine mandate, and their operations cannot be subjected to political control.”
As the financial pressures intensify and concerns over shrinking democratic space grow, the bishops called for urgent, sincere engagement between the state and citizens. They warned that ignoring these issues will hurt not only mission hospitals but also Kenya’s broader democratic and social fabric.
