Nairobi: Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale today engaged Kenyans through an interactive discussion on Kass FM International, outlining the Government’s current efforts and progress in delivering Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). The CS detailed reforms aimed at enhancing healthcare accessibility, affordability, and accountability, with a focus on strengthening the health system from primary to specialized care.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Social Health Authority (SHA) is central to these reforms, having registered more than 32 million Kenyans, which is approximately 68 percent of the population. Mombasa County is currently leading in SHA registration, reflecting the growing uptake of the new health financing framework and the Government’s commitment to inclusive healthcare.
Duale highlighted efforts to strengthen the health workforce, noting an agreement reached during the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) to transition UHC health workers to Permanent and Pensionable terms, supported by a Sh8.6 billion Government allocation. This move aims to enhance job security, improve staff retention, and ensure continuity of healthcare services.
On the matter of medical internships, Duale reported that the Government has deployed over 13,000 interns and allocated more than Sh19 billion to support internship programs, thereby aiding the training and professional development of young health professionals.
Additionally, reforms at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) have improved the procurement and distribution of essential medicines and medical supplies, raising the national commodity fill rate to 91 percent. These changes are enhancing the reliability of supplies reaching health facilities and improving access to necessary commodities.
The digitization of healthcare delivery and management is being advanced through initiatives like Practice 360 and other digital systems. These efforts aim to bolster accountability, transparency, data visibility, and oversight throughout the health sector, while also improving care quality and safety.
The National Equipment Service Programme (NESP) is playing a crucial role in expanding access to specialized healthcare by equipping facilities with modern equipment and enhancing diagnostic and treatment capabilities, thereby reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for care.
Duale also mentioned renewed attention to emergency healthcare through the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre and the 922-emergency lifeline, which is improving emergency response and coordination to ensure timely care.
At the primary healthcare level, more than 107,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) are deployed nationwide to provide preventive, promotive, and basic healthcare services, strengthening early identification, referral, and continuity of care at the community level. The Government has extended their health insurance coverage under SHA.
The introduction of the Green Label Charter across health facilities aims to improve transparency and accountability by clearly identifying government-funded primary healthcare services available free of charge.
Strategic partnerships are being forged to make medicines and healthcare more affordable, with collaborations, including those with Pfizer, aimed at reducing medicine prices and enhancing access to essential treatments.
For maternal and newborn health, plans are underway to build dedicated mother-and-child health facilities to support the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) initiative, aiming to reduce preventable deaths through strengthened services.
Efforts to combat cancer are also expanding, with a focus on enhancing regional cancer centers and increasing cancer screening for early detection and diagnosis. The long-term goal is to establish cancer treatment capacity in every county over the next decade.
Duale emphasized that these reforms are part of a broader transformation of Kenya’s health system, encompassing financing, workforce development, medicines, digital health, emergency response, primary healthcare, and specialized services, with a strong commitment to making UHC a practical reality for all Kenyans.
