Healthcare leaders in Kenya are advocating for the prompt enforcement of newly passed Universal Health Care (UHC) laws. The African Institute of Development Policy (AFIDEP) commended President William Ruto for signing these bills into law and emphasized the need for tangible action in the country’s healthcare sector.
The new laws aim to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for all Kenyan citizens. During a meeting with the Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health (NEAPACOH) – Kenya chapter and the parliamentary health committee in Nairobi, these leaders discussed the importance of effectively implementing these policies.
Healthcare stakeholders in Kenya have called on the government to expedite the implementation of the recently enacted Universal Health Care (UHC) laws. The African Institute of Development Policy (AFIDEP) commended President William Ruto for signing these laws into effect, emphasizing their potential to enhance healthcare accessibility and affordability for all Kenyan citizens. Dr. Rose Oronje, Head of AFIDEP Kenya, expressed her optimism during a meeting involving the Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health (NEAPACOH) – Kenya chapter and members of the parliamentary health committee in Nairobi. She noted that the public eagerly anticipates tangible improvements in healthcare delivery, given that the country has faced challenges in implementing various policies.
On October 19, President Ruto signed four key Universal Health Coverage (UHC) bills into law. These bills include the Primary Health Care Bill, Facility Improvement Financing Bill, Digital Health Bill, and the Social Health Insurance Bill. Their purpose is to address issues such as low health insurance coverage and the financial burden of out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
During the meeting, parliamentarians shared their progress in fulfilling the commitments made in February 2023 at the Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health (NEAPACOH) meeting in Kampala, Uganda. Kenya has yet to meet its commitments regarding health sector funding, which involves increasing the budget from Ksh. 122 billion (USD 12.2 million) to Ksh. 154 billion (USD 15.4 million), enacting Facility Improvement Fund (FIF) legislation, and providing seed funding for HIV, TB, and reproductive health products.
Peter Ngure, Programme Manager of the USAID-funded Building Capacity for Integrated Family Planning (FP) and Reproductive Health (RH), and Population, Environment, and Development (PED) Action (BUILD) project, called for the acceleration of access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, particularly for young people. Dr. Robert Pukose, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of Health, assured participants of Parliament’s commitment to establishing the appropriate legal frameworks that will strengthen family planning services in the country and contribute to realizing universal health coverage.
Furthermore, Ngure advocated for the adoption of a systems-thinking approach that considers the interconnectedness of health, environment, population, and development, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals’ five pillars: partnership, planet, people, prosperity, and peace.