Nairobi: The Government has outlined progress in the country’s health sector reforms, highlighting expanded health insurance coverage, increased access to primary healthcare, and investments in emergency response and medical infrastructure ahead of the inaugural Kenya Health Summit. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale stated the Government’s commitment to ensuring healthcare becomes a right accessible to all Kenyans, instead of a privilege for a few.
According to Kenya News Agency, one of the most significant reforms has been the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA), launched on October 1, 2024. More than 32 million Kenyans are now registered under SHA, compared with about eight million previously covered by the defunct NHIF. The authority has processed nearly 7.9 million claims, with billions of shillings paid to support patients receiving medical services. The programme has facilitated more than 48,000 cancer treatments, 469,000 surgeries, and 1.24 million safe deliveries.
Duale emphasized that the reforms are designed to ensure Kenyans do not miss out on essential healthcare due to an inability to pay at the point of service. Under the Primary Healthcare Fund, registered Kenyans can access services at Level 2, 3, and 4 health facilities without making payments at the point of care. The Government is also relying on community-based healthcare to strengthen preventive and primary care, with over 107,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) recruited and supported through 277 Primary Care Networks across the country.
The Ministry of Health is investing in local pharmaceutical manufacturing, essential medicines, medical equipment, and health infrastructure as part of efforts to strengthen the health system. The Government is enhancing public health preparedness through emergency operations centres, disease surveillance systems, and field epidemiology programmes. The National Ambulance Dispatch Centre and toll-free 922 emergency line have also been established to provide a coordinated platform for accessing emergency medical services, irrespective of a patient’s location or SHA registration status.
Duale urged journalists to move beyond government figures and assess the reforms by visiting health facilities, engaging healthcare workers, and speaking directly to patients and communities. This scrutiny would help establish what is working, identify gaps, and determine areas requiring further improvement.
The Kenya Health Summit aims to provide a platform for national and county governments, health institutions, and partners to take stock of progress towards Universal Health Coverage and agree on priorities for the next phase of the country’s health transformation agenda. The meeting will also assess the implementation of the Taifa Care Model, through which the Government seeks to make quality healthcare accessible to Kenyans regardless of their income, location, or circumstances.
Those present during the media engagement included Principal Secretaries Dr. Ouma Oluga and Mary Muthoni, Director-General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, Council of Governors Chief Executive Officer Mary Mwiti, Kenya Editors Guild Chief Executive Officer Linda Bach, development partners, representatives of the media, chief executives of health-sector State corporations, and senior Ministry of Health officials.
