All set for countrywide UHC rollout, says CS Kariuki

All is set for the countrywide roll-out of Universal Health Coverage early next year, Health CS Sicily Kariuki has reaffirmed.

UHC is one of President Uhuru Kenyatta's Big Four agenda aimed at transforming Kenya by 2022.

Under the programme, all Kenyans are expected to access preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services at a minimum cost.

A pilot project is underway in Kisumu, Machakos, Nyeri and Isiolo, where 3.2 million people have registered for the Afya Card to access subsidised health services.

Kariuki has called on all health workers to provide optimal healthcare to patients so that UHC is realised.

“I appreciate the role that doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers are currently providing to our patients. As we plan to roll out UHC countrywide, I would, therefore, like to urge them to remain dedicated to their noble calling.” 

The focus will be on primary health care. The target is the scaling up of immunisation services, maternal and child health services, family planning, antenatal and postnatal care services.

Its other specifics are prevention of waterborne, vector-borne, TB and HIV and sexually transmitted diseases as well as improving the nutrition of pregnant women. This will be followed through to the first five years of a child’s life.

 “We view UHC not as a destination but as a continuous process, which will involve constant widening of the social safety nets to ensure no one is left behind,” President Uhuru said at the launch of the programme in Kisumu last December.

The CS said the ministry will work closely with governors to ensure that health centres and dispensaries are adequately equipped and appropriate health personnel deployed.

Among the key lessons from the pilot programme are the need to reorient the health systems towards a primary health care approach, the need for a skilled health workforce and interventions that increase their productivity, and community ownership of the UHC Programme to ensure success.

The training of community health workers is ongoing to so that they can mobilise people at the grassroots to go for early screening and detection for diseases such as cancer and other non-communicable diseases now on the increase.

“If our health centres and dispensaries are fully functional, then KNH and other referral and teaching hospitals will be able to undertake their critical roles of being specialised facilities and allow our referral system to become functional,” Kariuki said.

The emphasis will be on primary health care instead of curative services.

The government has established 10 chemotherapy centres and four centres of excellence across the country to assist in cancer treatment.