Kenya has turned to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to scale the rollout of the contentious Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme amid protests from some of the medics under the project.
On Wednesday, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale requested the global health institution for, among other things, financial support directed towards UHC. In a meeting with WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Duale praised Kenya's efforts in rolling out the programme that has faced financial challenges over the next the last three years.
Through a statement, Duale disclosed the meeting, which happened on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly, with the CS calling for increased financing from WHO.
“On the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly, themed One World for Health," I held a bilateral meeting with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to deepen Kenya's collaboration with WHO and advance our national health priorities,” he stated.
“I called for WHO's support in accelerating UHC, strengthening health financing, and advancing Kenya's digital health infrastructure to drive data-informed policy,” Duale added.
Even as the health sector, both locally and globally, faces increased challenges due to funding cuts, Duale stressed the need for increased contributions to the WHO. He maintained that sustainable financing was the way to go if the WHO was to achieve its goals.
“We discussed the need for sustainable WHO financing, including increased assessed contributions, to support the goals of the Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14) for 2025–2028,” Duale noted.
The latest comes as the cash-strapped Health Ministry struggled to absorb UHC workers onto permanent and pensionable terms. Speaking on Sunday, May 18, the CS claimed that the ministry only has Ksh3.5 billion, which is only enough to hire nurses on contracts.
UHC in Kenya aims to ensure all citizens have access to quality and affordable healthcare without financial hardship. Introduced in 2018 under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, the initiative has undergone various reforms and budgetary changes over the years.
Even though it was piloted in 2018, the programme started receiving funding in the 2021/2022 financial year. The health sector received an allocation of Ksh130.4 billion, with Ksh47.7 billion dedicated to UHC activities.
In the following financial year, health was allocated Ksh146.8 billion, the highest ever for the health sector, with Ksh62.3 billion earmarked for UHC. In 2023/2024, the health sector's budget was Ksh 141.2 billion, with Ksh 18.4 billion allocated to UHC, marking a significant reduction from the previous year.
In the current financial year, the budget for the health sector further decreased to Ksh127 billion, with Ksh4.2 billion dedicated to the coordination and management of UHC.
Cumulatively, the projected cost for full UHC implementation is approximately Ksh550 billion annually, while current health spending stands at about Ksh247 billion.
CS Duale in the recent past maintained that the national government will not backstep in its move to transfer the payslip responsibility of UHC workers from the national government to the county government.
Currently, UHC workers have been camping outside the Ministry of Health offices protesting over the government's failure to give them permanent employment.
