Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has broken down the outpatient services in public health facilities, which are now being offered free of charge.
In a statement on Sunday, August 10, Duale reminded Kenyans that public health facilities from Level 2 to Level 4 were offering outpatient services free of charge following a directive from President William Ruto.
"In a decisive step towards achieving and implementing the Government's goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), H.E. President William Ruto has directed that all outpatient services in government dispensaries, health centres and sub-county hospitals be offered free of charge in accordance with the Primary Health Care fund," said Duale.
The initiative, according to Duale, was anchored under the Social Health Authority (SHA) and was available to every Kenyan registered with the government health cover.
Duale further clarified a number of services which were available for free, including a wide range of primary health care interventions, including consultation, diagnosis and treatment for common medical conditions.
For these essential but basic services, patients would no longer be required to pay out of pocket.
Also included in the free package were laboratory services, with the government seeking to ensure that diagnostic processes are accessible to everyone regardless of their income or location.
Going forward, patients will also be able to access basic radiological examinations, including X-rays and ultrasounds. These diagnostic tools are crucial for early detection and management of many modern chronic illnesses.
Under the free services, patients are also entitled to access to medication at no charge. This package will include prescription processing, drug administration and dispensing.
The government has also prioritised free health education, confirming that services including wellness promotion, counselling and ongoing support are administered without any extra costs.
Further, the services also extend to the "management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), enteric infections, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS," to ensure continuity for patients living with chronic illnesses and infectious diseases.
Another crucial service which has been included in the free offerings includes those in the mental health field. Kenyans can now access education, counselling and psychological support relating to mental health - an area which was previously heavily neglected due to the implied costs and stigma.
Other services under the programme include "minor outpatient procedures, either in the procedure room or under local anaesthesia," and "immunisation services as per the Kenya Expanded Program on Immunisation (KEPI) and recommended special vaccines."
In the maternal and child care department, services including "antenatal and postnatal" care and other child health interventions as outlined in the Ministry of Health guidelines are also set to be administered for free.
Duale, in his statement, urged members of the public to report any form of co-charging for the free services by dialling an SHA centre on 147.
The breakdown of free health services came just days after 40 hospitals were suspended from the Social Health Authority (SHA) programme for engaging in fraudulent practices.
Duale explained that during the period of investigations, the hospitals are not entitled to receive any benefits from SHA, adding that the government will recover any money paid to the facilities based on fraudulent claims.
