Universal health coverage is a key pillar of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s health agenda, aimed at ensuring all Kenyans access quality healthcare regardless of their ability to pay. To advance this goal, the government overhauled health financing by replacing NHIF with SHA. Mercy Kahenda spoke to Health CS Aden Duale about the reforms’ achievements, shortcomings and plans to address implementation gaps.
1)Two years after the rollout of SHA, what would you describe as working?
UHC is moving from policy into actual care for millions of Kenyans. At the transition from NHIF, about 7 million people were registered. Over 33 million Kenyans are registered with SHA, and the network of contracted facilities has grown from 8,667 under NHIF to 10,713.
The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media
platforms spanning newspaper print
operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a
leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national
and international interest.