Govt Introduces Mandatory SHA Biometric Authorization

The government has officially launched biometric registration under the Social Health Authority (SHA), aiming to enhance the accuracy of patient identification and streamline healthcare access nationwide.

Speaking during the launch at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced that biometric registration is now fully operational across all Level 4, 5, and 6 healthcare facilities in the country.

“With immediate effect, SHA will no longer accept OTP-based authorisation,” Duale stated.

“All approvals must now be completed using biometric health ID or the Practice 360 App.”

The CS revealed that the Ministry of Health is in the process of onboarding Level 2 and 3 facilities onto the SHA system, as part of broader efforts to digitise healthcare services from the grassroots up.

To support this, the government has rolled out the Practice 360 App, a geo-tagged and geo-fenced tool designed to curb fraud and unauthorised code sharing among medical practitioners.

“It will help us eliminate unauthorised sharing of pre-authorisation approval codes by doctors,” Duale said. “Healthcare workers can now view, approve, and manage pre-authorisation claims and the services they offer directly through the Practice 360 App.”

Since its inception, SHA has made significant progress. Over 25.1 million Kenyans have already been registered, with nearly 10,000 hospitals, clinics, and health centres contracted under the programme.

The Authority has reimbursed Sh47.5 billion under the Social Health Insurance Fund and Sh6.9 billion through the Primary Healthcare Fund.

Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital, one of the country’s largest public health facilities, has alone submitted claims worth Sh1.4 billion and received over Sh1 billion in payments, Duale disclosed.

“That tells you, our facilities—public, private, and faith-based—are seeing value for the investment they have made in healthcare,” he said.

To ensure broad access, SHA biometric registration is available through multiple channels.

Individuals can register by dialling *147# on their phones, visiting the SHA website, or participating in in-person registration drives across the country. Biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial recognition, is integral to the new system.