NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 7 — The Social Health Authority (SHA) has introduced a one-month moratorium on five compliance documents required from healthcare providers, in a move aimed at speeding up the contracting and onboarding of eligible facilities.The moratorium, effective immediately until November 4, 2026, covers certificates and licences issued by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), fire safety authorities, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC).SHA said healthcare providers who meet all other mandatory contracting requirements but are missing any of the five documents may still be onboarded under a conditional contract valid until November 4.“The moratorium is effective immediately and will end on 4th November 2026,” SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi said.The affected providers will be required to submit the outstanding documents by the end of the moratorium period.However, providers that meet all contracting requirements, including having the five documents, will qualify for a three-year contract.Mwangangi said the moratorium does not remove the obligation for providers to obtain and submit the outstanding documents.During the e-contracting process, providers have been directed to indicate whether each of the documents is available or unavailable and upload all documents currently in their possession.The authority clarified that other mandatory requirements remain in force, including the SHA Compliance Certificate and KRA Tax Compliance Certificate, which are not covered by the moratorium.The temporary relaxation comes as SHA continues to expand its network of contracted healthcare providers under the country’s health insurance system.SHA CEO said the measure would facilitate the contracting and onboarding of eligible healthcare providers while allowing facilities additional time to complete the specified compliance requirements.