Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata addresses CSOs forum on health funding in Nairobi/HANDOUT
Kenya will continue increasing investment in the health sector to cushion the country from declining donor support, the Ministry of Health has said.
Director of Health Sector Coordination and Research at the ministry Omar Ahmed Omar noted that the national government already finances up to 60 percent of the sector, but more resources are needed to sustain services and drive reforms.
Speaking Thursday during a health stakeholders’ forum in Nairobi, Omar said the successful rollout of the Social Health Authority (SHA) will be key in unlocking more domestic funding.
“If all of us can increase our efficiency, we can raise up to Sh300 billion through prepaid schemes like SHA and private insurance,” he said.
Omar added that the ministry continues to rely on the private sector for resource mobilization and challenged investors to seize opportunities in manufacturing, research and innovation.
“Local manufacturing should be a private sector agenda — the entry point and upstream function. Research and development in medicines, diagnostics and medical devices is where the private sector must step in,” he noted.
He also affirmed that the ministry will keep working with civil society groups to fill the gap left by retreating donors, urging them to push Kenyans to enroll into SHA and to hold the system accountable.
Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata, who says his county has made significant progress in health reforms, highlighted milestones such as free health services, expanded facilities, improved equipment and automation.
He, however cited delayed disbursements from SHA, power instability, high internet costs and a heavy wage bill as key implementation challenges.
The forum was convened by the Health NGOs Network (HENNET) and brought together civil society groups, health advocates, policymakers and development partners to evaluate progress and strengthen collaboration in advancing Kenya’s health agenda.
HENNET Executive Director Margaret Lubaale urged the country to unlock untapped resources and improve efficiency before seeking new funding.
“We must look at what we already have and ask if we are extracting maximum value from it. We should not burden those who are already overburdened,” she said, calling for greater transparency and accountability.
The Ministry of Health estimates that Kenya spends Sh500 billion annually on health that includes Sh300 billion from both levels of government, Sh100 billion from external partners and Sh100 billion from the private sector.
