A 10-month-old baby girl from Kenya, Chloe Nyangau, is stranded in India after the Social Health Authority (SHA) allegedly backed out of a Ksh500,000 medical support commitment meant to fund her life-saving heart surgery.
As her mother remains by her side in Chennai and her father, Boniface Nyangau, pleads from Kenya, mounting evidence suggests the health system may have failed the family, despite prior approvals and documented assurances.
Now, Health CS Aden Duale and SHA are under pressure to explain a controversial about-face that has left a baby’s life hanging in the balance.
SHA Promise Under Fire Over Baby Chloe’s Medical Crisis
When 10-month-old Chloe Nyangau was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart defect known as a complete atrioventricular canal defect shortly after birth, her parents knew her life depended on surgery. But in Kenya, the required pediatric cardiac procedure was unavailable. After consultations and referrals, they secured a slot for Chloe at Miot Hospital in India, with the total cost of the procedure and associated travel amounting to Ksh1.8 million.
Desperate to save their daughter, Chloe’s parents turned to the Social Health Authority (SHA), the successor to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), for assistance. After making their case, they received a commitment: SHA would shoulder Ksh500,000 of the medical costs.
This promise, according to Chloe’s father, Boniface Nyangau, came after fulfilling all formal requirements and presenting a letter of no objection from the Ministry of Health. The document, signed by Dr. Emmanuel Tanui on behalf of the Director General for Health, endorsed Chloe’s treatment abroad.
With SHA’s pledge secured, the family fundraised the remaining Ksh1.125 million from friends, family, and well-wishers. Confident that the government would honour its word, the family paid for the initial costs and travelled to India. But once there, the shocking news arrived: SHA had allegedly reversed its position and would not release the funds.
Boniface was devastated. “I submitted everything and followed every procedure. The Ministry approved our travel. SHA promised support. But now they say the letter is fake, and our daughter is stranded,” he told reporters.
Health CS Duale Denies Ministry Approval Letter
In a phone interview with NTV, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale dismissed the letter of approval, branding it a forgery.
“The letter is fake, and I am not lying to you. In fact, we are doing investigations,” Duale stated.
He went on to say that SHA operates under clear legal procedures. According to Duale, foreign treatment support is only offered when it has been confirmed that the procedure is unavailable in Kenya.
“Under SHA, first, there are procedures in law, and you must confirm that what you are seeking is not provided for and cannot be found in Kenya,” the CS explained.
However, Chloe’s parents maintain that every requirement was met, including confirmation that Kenya lacked the capacity to perform the required surgery. The letter from the Ministry, which was shared with both NTV and Kenyans.co.ke, directly contradicts the CS’s claims. It states that the government had “no objection” to Chloe receiving treatment abroad.
SHA has yet to release a formal statement addressing the apparent contradiction between the Ministry’s letter and the CS’s public comments. Meanwhile, Chloe remains stranded thousands of kilometres away, her post-surgery recovery stalled by financial uncertainty.
Growing Public Outcry and Calls for Accountability
As the controversy unfolds, public outrage is building. Social media platforms have been flooded with messages of sympathy for Chloe’s family and sharp criticism of the SHA system, which many see as opaque and selectively responsive.
Boniface, a loyal contributor to both NHIF and now SHA, is emblematic of many Kenyan citizens who feel betrayed by the system meant to safeguard their health. “I have never defaulted on my contributions. I believed the system would stand by us in our darkest hour. Instead, they abandoned us,” he said in a tearful interview.
Health rights advocates have weighed in, with some calling for an independent probe into the SHA Promise debacle and others demanding that CS Duale step aside pending investigations. Several civil society organizations have also pledged to push for parliamentary scrutiny of the matter.
“The issue here isn’t just about one child. It’s about a system that made a promise and failed to deliver, with life-and-death consequences,” said a representative from the Kenya Network for Health Equity.
As for baby Chloe, her life remains in limbo. Her surgery has been completed, but without the remaining payments, hospital discharge and travel back home remain out of reach.
Boniface continues to appeal to the Ministry of Health and SHA to honour their Ksh500,000 promise.
“I’m not asking for luxury. I’m asking for help for my daughter. Help that was promised. They must keep their word,” he said.
