Deputy President Kithure Kindiki visited Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) to evaluate the progress of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme under the Social Health Authority (SHA) initiative.
Prof Kindiki interacted with patients and healthcare workers to identify areas needing improvement.
The Deputy President, who was accompanied by the Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa and ranking officers in the Ministry, highlighted the government’s commitment to improving access to quality healthcare services for all Kenyans.
Speaking during the tour at KNH, Kindiki acknowledged the hospital’s century-long legacy of providing critical healthcare services.
“Despite the challenges, KNH continues to lead in healthcare delivery. Today’s visit demonstrates the government’s focus on transforming the healthcare sector as part of our national development agenda,” he stated.
He underscored the key achievements under the UHC initiative including, enhanced coverage for critical illnesses such as kidney and heart diseases and improved service delivery under the Social Health Authority.
The Deputy President stated that, it is the intention of the government to ensure that every Kenyan accesses medical services, noting that it is now two months plus since SHA launched the registration roll-ups adding that though the numbers are picking up, but they are not good enough.
“Let every citizen register with the SHA to benefit from Taifa Care. It offers a superior package, as evidenced by impactful stories shared by patients, particularly those with critical illnesses. For cases such as kidney transplants and heart-related conditions, patients have personally informed me that the process of accessing services is swift.”
He also visited various departments at the national referral facility including, the trauma centre and the soon-to-be-commissioned East Africa Kidney Institute, a state-of-the-art facility that will provide renal care, including dialysis and kidney transplants, for patients across the region.
He acknowledged existing challenges in service provision such as procedural delays and technological gaps but gave an assurance of swift resolution of the same.
“This programme builds on lessons from past attempts and is poised to succeed. We are committed to ensuring every Kenyan registers under the Social Health Authority to benefit from the Type of Care package,” he emphasised.
The Deputy President added that the government is working closely with county governments to address bottlenecks at lower-level hospitals, such as inadequate diagnostic capacity and historical debts under the previous National Insurance Scheme.
Kindiki affirmed the government’s support for the contribution by University of Nairobi’s School of Health Sciences in training healthcare professionals.
The Deputy President, while highlighting the importance of primary healthcare, reiterated the ongoing efforts to increase funding despite resource constraints, adding that the government remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering accessible, affordable and quality healthcare to all citizens.
By Sharon Atieno and Allan Wandera