Half of Kenyans think the health sector has problems with 47 per cent saying the problems are major and 45% others saying they are minor.
A new public opinion poll (Sauti za Wananchi) by Twaweza East Africa shows that cost and availability of drugs are mentioned by citizens as significant challenges.
Brezhnev Otieno, Twaweza Kenya advocacy manager, said: "The Constitution of Kenya guarantees every individual the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services,"
"It is unfortunate that many of the citizens are not able to access quality and timely health services," he said.
The survey conducted between June 7 and June 28, 2016 also shows that the last time they were ill or injured, 74% of Kenyans sought treatment from a government health facility.
Of these, 16 per cent went to a Private/NGO health facility; 8% to a pharmacy, and 4% to a Church/Mission health facility.
In terms of health insurance, seven out of ten Kenyans do not have health insurance.
Amongst those who have 88% had a health insurance from NHIF( National Hospital Insurance Fund) and 14% from a private health insurance given to them by their employers.
"It is common for some individuals to have both NHIF and private health insurance.
Barriers to not having health insurance include unaffordability at 53%, lack of awareness at 13%, lack of information on how it works at12%, lack of service providers in the locality at 7% and the feeling that it is unnecessary at 7%," said Otieno.
The report also stated that generally, health practitioners such as doctors or nurses are mentioned as the main sources of health-related information as indicated by 51% of citizens.
Other sources of health related information are radio (20%), friends and family (14%), television (7%), Internet (3%), church (2%), pharmacists and newspapers are at 1% respectively.
In relation to emergency health services, half of Kenyans do not know of an ambulance that can be called to their village/area for an emergency.
This service is supposed to be provided by county governments. Among citizens who are aware of local ambulance services available to them, 86% stated that this is provided by the county government, 10% by private entities, 2% by non-profit/religious institutions and others (1% national government).
When asked to state the primary decision makers for their families on health care issues, male adults within the households are mentioned by 42% of Kenyans. 28% mentioned both male and female adults in the household and 27% female adults within the households.
Finally, when asked if anyone in their households had been screened for various lifestyle-related illnesses, 42% of the households report having someone who has been screened for high blood pressure.
This is followed by 29% for diabetes and 25% for any type of cancer. In terms of diagnosis in the past one year, 30% of households report having someone diagnosed with high blood pressure, 20% with any type of diabetes and 12% with cancer.
Today State House hosted a health summit to update Kenyans on the progress of health related projects by the national government.
Four years ago, the national government set an ambitious plan to improve health care management nationally to ensure that all counties are equipped with basic diagnostic equipment such as CT Scans and X-ray machines.