MoH pledges to work with private hospitals to attain UHC

The Ministry of Health has pledged to support private hospitals in their efforts to provide essential healthcare services to Kenyans.

Cabinet Secretary Susan Wafula on Wednesday met officials from the Kenya Association of Private Hospitals in recognition of the role they play in the provision of healthcare.

Private hospitals are essential to providing healthcare services, especially in underserved areas where public healthcare facilities are inadequate.

With the government's commitment to universal health coverage, the private sector's involvement will be critical in bridging the gaps in access to quality healthcare.

The KAPH officials were led by CEO Dr Elizabeth Gitau and chairperson Abdi Mohamed.

“As Kenya moves towards universal health coverage, private hospitals play a crucial role in expanding access to quality care,” the CS said.

Wafula reiterated the government’s commitment to working with private hospitals to improve the overall health system in Kenya.

“This includes supporting policies that reduce the regulatory burdens faced by private hospitals and streamline the process of obtaining operational permits,” she said.

The KAPH officials pledged to work with the government to achieve its healthcare agenda.

They requested the ministry to introduce health policies that ease the bureaucratic hurdles that private hospitals face when seeking operational permits from national and county governments.

The CS's commitment to supporting private hospitals is a positive step towards achieving universal health coverage for all Kenyans.

The World Health Organisation recognizes that global evidence provides encouraging and significant evidence of the overall impact of public–private partnerships in increasing the use of primary healthcare services.

According to WHO, the important role of the private health sector in health care delivery in most countries of the region is increasingly being acknowledged by the ministries of health in the region.

Despite this recognition, it has not been possible to formulate an evidence-based strategy on the role and contribution of the private health sector in the provision of healthcare services in moving towards universal health coverage.