Kenya Relaunches Biometric Verification to Tackle Insurance Fraud

Published Date : 8/6/2025 

The Kenyan government has reintroduced a biometric patient identification system to prevent health insurance fraud, a move expected to save billions of shillings and enhance the efficiency of healthcare services. 

The Kenyan government has relaunched a biometric system for the identification of patients at health facilities as part of efforts to save money from health insurance fraud, which has been a persistent issue in the country for years. The system was recently reintroduced by the country’s Social Health Authority (SHA), which has taken over from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Speaking about the move, Health Secretary, Aden Duale, said it will be a game-changer in terms of fighting corruption and enhancing efficiency. The biometric patient identification system previously existed under the NHIF, with many Kenyan hospitals investing significant sums in biometric verification equipment. However, the system was discontinued after the government uncovered a fraudulent ring that exploited it, sometimes through stolen biometrics, causing the state to lose billions of shillings.

A One-Time Password (OTP) system was introduced as an alternative, but it did not work as intended, with several complaints emerging about delays and other major shortcomings. Now, the government believes that returning to the biometric system will enable the state to effectively combat insurance fraud and save money that was being lost to fraudulent claims.

President William Ruto also addressed the issue, stating that the biometric identification system, which has been rolled out in Level 4, 5, and 6 hospitals, will ensure that people do not file false insurance claims. “Today, the Minister of Health, Mr. Duale, is launching the biometric identification of Kenyans at Level 4, Level 5, and Level 6 hospitals. This means citizens seeking treatment will now be reliably identified using biometrics. The goal is to eliminate fraud and fake claims, which have plagued our healthcare system for far too long,” Ruto said.

“Each person will have their own record. You’ll place your fingerprint, and we’ll know exactly who you are. Then we’ll proceed accordingly. There will be no more cases of impersonation or people collecting money dishonestly,” he added, recalling the colossal sums of money which the NHIF paid to fake claims monthly.

The president cited an example of a hospital where such fraudulent insurance claims occurred. “Take, for example, the hospital in Eldoret. It had many fake doctors and accountants whose job was to bribe NHIF officials. In that hospital, a single leg surgery would be claimed ten times,” he said. “Someone would die, they’d claim they cut the leg, and we pay them. Then again, they die, another leg is cut, we pay them. You even start wondering, how many legs did this person have?” Ruto said jokingly.

The new measure, which takes effect immediately, means that all SHA insurance claim approvals will henceforth require fingerprint authentication. This is expected to significantly reduce the instances of insurance fraud and improve the overall efficiency of the healthcare system in Kenya. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the main goal of re-introducing the biometric patient verification system in Kenya?

A: The main goal is to combat health insurance fraud and save billions of shillings that were being lost to fraudulent claims.

Q: Which organization is responsible for the re-introduction of the biometric system?

A: The Social Health Authority (SHA) is responsible for the re-introduction of the biometric patient verification system.

Q: What was the alternative system used before the biometric system was reintroduced?

A: A One-Time Password (OTP) system was used as an alternative, but it faced several issues such as delays and other major shortcomings.

Q: How will the biometric system help in identifying patients?

A: The biometric system will use fingerprints to uniquely identify each patient, ensuring that there are no cases of impersonation or fraudulent claims.

Q: What levels of hospitals will be using the biometric identification system?

A: The biometric identification system will be rolled out in Level 4, 5, and 6 hospitals in Kenya. 

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