The Social Health Authority (SHA) launched a digital verification system on 1 November that sends a text message to patients while they are still at a public health facility, asking them to confirm whether they received the medicines prescribed.

Patients are required to reply indicating receipt or non‑receipt of the drugs. If a patient reports that the medicines were not issued, SHA will deduct the cost of those drugs from the facility’s reimbursement claim while still paying for other services provided.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the measure is intended to strengthen accountability by ensuring SHA reimburses only for medicines actually dispensed.

He clarified that facilities will continue to receive payment for consultations, diagnostics and other services, but any unverified drug claim will be excluded from the reimbursement.

Duale announced the rollout at the Africa Health Data Forum in Nairobi and urged Kenyans to respond promptly to the verification messages after visiting public hospitals.

The initiative follows reports that patients often leave public facilities after receiving consultations but without the medicines prescribed by health professionals.

Duale also noted an increase in private pharmacies operating near public hospitals, with some patients buying medicines elsewhere after treatment in public facilities.

To improve drug availability, the government is encouraging county health facilities to source pharmaceutical supplies through the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa), whose supply capacity has reportedly improved.

Digital health platforms, including the new SMS system, are also being used to monitor hospital bed capacity, maternal health outcomes, disease trends and medicine stock levels.