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MUGWANG’A: UHC dream on course but will next regime keep pace?

Under Uhuru’s government, the country has witnessed tremendous progress in the public health sector.

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by MICHAEL MUGWANG’A

Siasa09 February 2022 - 18:12
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In Summary


  • Under Uhuru’s government, the country has witnessed tremendous progress in the public health sector.
  • From healthcare infrastructure to equipping of facilities, increased availability of drugs and increased workforce, the scorecard is impressive.
President Uhuru Kenyatta speaks during the launch of the national scale-up of the Universal Health Coverage in Mombasa on Tuesday, February 8, 2022.

President Uhuru Kenyatta recently launched the national scale-up of the Universal Health Coverage programme in Mombasa. Six decades ago at Independence, the country sought to eradicate ignorance, disease and poverty through education, improved public healthcare system and empowerment respectively.

Under Uhuru’s government, the country has witnessed tremendous progress in the public health sector. From healthcare infrastructure to equipping of facilities, increased availability of drugs and increased workforce, the scorecard is impressive.

Free maternity care under the Linda Mama programme was the beginning of Uhuru’s roadmap towards better healthcare accessible to all. The programme serves more than a million mothers annually. This has reduced maternal mortality rates significantly. The cost of delivery has also been eliminated, meaning that even the poorest in society can access the services.

Universal healthcare was listed among the four priority areas for President Kenyatta’s administration under the Big Four agenda launched in 2017, the third medium-term plan towards achievement of the wider Kenya Vision 2030.

The pilot phase of the UHC was launched in December 2018 in the counties of Kisumu, Nyeri, Machakos and Isiolo. In the first 12 months, the programme had expanded improved health services to about 3.2 million citizens in the four counties. In 2020, counties ended the pilot programme. Lessons were drawn from the pilot phase that have informed the strategy for the national launch.

The need to reorient the skills sets of the workforce to match the needs of the UHC approach; need to invest in technology in the health sector to increase access to healthcare; domestic manufacturing of medicines and commodities, increased and improved human resource and governance reforms to strengthen the health sector, were among the areas noted for intervention to successfully roll out UHC countrywide.


The national upscale of the programme was marked by the launch of the conference on the harmonisation of curriculum and training of healthcare professionals. This will ensure that medical personnel are equipped with the latest skills in handling various diseases and also to match their skills to the technological evolution of healthcare provision.

Well-trained personnel will offer quality services to all Kenyans. The reforms happening at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority will ensure a flawless supply of medicine and healthcare commodities, devoid of corruption and incompetence that have previously cost the country billions through overpricing of commodities and shortages.

The National Hospital Insurance Fund (Amendment) Act passed by Parliament provides that the fund establishes a centralised management system on healthcare providers. This will streamline the handling and ensure timely payment of claims on cost for medical services.

At a fee of Sh500 monthly, or Sh20 daily, Kenyans will be able to afford the best medical care in any public health facility in the country. Disease and high costs of treatment have denied many families the dignity of proper care in the past due to lack of resources. Many have had to sell their belongings to afford treatment, either locally or abroad. This will no longer be the case with the improved NHIF system.

On technology, the 'National Community Health Digitisation Strategy 2020-2025' seeks to develop a national electronic Community Health Information System. This will help in household enrolment to the healthcare system, streamlining supply chain management, better service delivery and community disease surveillance, among others. Cumulatively, this will improve and expand access to healthcare for all citizens.

On healthcare infrastructure, the government has done a good job. The country has recorded 43 per cent increase in health facilities since 2013, ICU capacity has recorded a 502 per cent increase while the hospital bed capacity nationally has increased by 47 per cent.

Community health coverage has increased from a paltry 10 per cent in 2013 to the current 91 per cent through the establishment of 8,663 community health centres. Hospitals have been upgraded with the installation of state-of-the-art equipment.

The President officially commissioned the upgraded Coast General Hospital. The hospital is now able to offer world-class cancer treatment as well as heart and head surgeries. Patients will now save hugely on money that would have been spent seeking treatment abroad.

With the NHIF cover, people will further save on the huge amounts they would pay in cash to access services here. People getting impoverished treating loved ones will become a thing of the past.

The President announced plans to open similarly upgraded facilities in Nyeri, Kisumu, Garissa and Nakuru counties in the coming months. This is in addition to the 15 health facilities being built in Nairobi’s informal settlements to provide primary healthcare.

With the improved state of the public health sector, the government has been able to retain some of the best medical personnel, who are motivated by the good working environment.

There have been a few challenges such as the corruption scandal that rocked the Kemsa and NHIF. The enhanced war on graft should deter the reoccurrence of similar incidents in the future because corruption alone can cripple the implementation of the UHC programme.

Previous issues of poor remuneration of medical personnel and lack of personal protective equipment should also be addressed.

The positive milestones recorded in the public healthcare sector show that amid some challenges, the Universal Health Coverage programme is progressing well and may soon be achieved fully.

The multimillion-dollar question is, will the next regime take it up as a priority.

 

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