State launches UHC for easy access, affordable medical services to all
President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday launched the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plan, expected to increase affordability and access to medical services across the country.
Speaking in Port Reitz Hospital grounds after launching the programme, President Kenyatta said Kenya has made huge strides towards achieving quality and affordable health care for all Kenyans.
Kenyatta said piloting of UHC has ensured that a huge chunk of Kenyans has health insurance coverage under the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
He said out of 1.2 million people living with HIV are enrolled in the UHC, terming it as a significant stride. He said the government will continue to inject resources in the health sector to revamp it by ensuring all pending health programmes run uninterrupted.
“The investment that we have made since 2013 on the health sector has seen an ICU capacity increase by a huge percentage, leading to the provision of quality health care in the country,” said President Uhuru...
The president directed the NHIF to ensure all pending programmes are completed before the end of June. He said there is a need for counties to have financial autonomy, that monies collected as revenue are reinvested in the facilities to improve health care.
“Never again should a Kenyan needlessly suffer for lacking resources to cater for healthcare,” said Uhuru. He said for the government to achieve its intended development, the people should register themselves with the NHIF.
“You can’t end poverty if a disease hits you at a time when you don’t have insurance, you will sell your property because of millions you are charged in hospital, and that can be cured by getting an NHIF card registration,” urged the president. Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the UHC programme championed by the national government is finally ready for a rollout in the 47 counties.
“The government has invested a lot of resources on the UHC, and Kenyas are the biggest beneficiaries, we urge people to get covered by health insurance.
Mombasa governor Hassan Joho said the government has continued to offer support to the county government in improving the quality of health offered at various hospitals in the county.
“Mombasa has started receiving medical tourism, owing to the huge infrastructural investment put in place by both levels of government in the county,” said Joho. Cotu boss Francis Atwoli asked for a review of the law to have medics paid by the county government to now be paid by the national government citing some teething challenges.
Earlier in the day the President officially opened a three-day conference for medics where he pointed out a seven-point agenda towards the full realisation of affordable and quality health care. Among the issues is the adoption of a framework for harmonisation of curriculum training for students, adoption of modern technology and innovation and research. Speaking when he addressed the Health Workers Conference, on harmonisation of the curriculum and training of Health Workers, Kenya ministry of health director-general of health Patrick Amoth said there is no equity in women men ratio in the health sector and said with the new curriculum it will be able to tackle the problem.
