President William Ruto has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that all Kenyans have access to quality and affordable healthcare through the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

In his second  State of the Nation Address delivered yesterday in the National Assembly, the president acknowledged the immense financial burden facing majority of Kenyans, a challenge he said the Kenya Kwanza administration is committed to addressing head-on.

Despite health being a devolved unit, he said counties continue to struggle with shortages of medicine, equipment, and, sometimes, staff hindering optimal services delivery, leaving counties and Kenyans with suboptimal access to healthcare.

“UHC is a cornerstone of our transformation agenda and a matter that touches one very Kenyan family,” the President said.

He emphasised that UHC will be achieved through actualisation of the enacted Social Health Insurance (SHA) Act.

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The Act was signed by the president on October 19, 2023, replacing the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), and established the Social Health Authority (SHA) which oversees three essential funds, namely Primary Healthcare Fund, Social Health Insurance Fund and Emergency, Critical and Chronic Fund.

“To own our commitment to UHC, I signed into law four groundbreaking legislation on October 19, 2023, passed by this August House. The Social Health Insurance Act replaced the National Hospital Insurance Fund and established the SHA which oversees three essential funds,” Ruto said.

The modern framework, as per Kenya Kwanza agenda, will ensure that Kenyans—especially the most vulnerable—access quality healthcare services, when in need.

The now-defunct NHIF, according to Ruto, was scandalised by debts and inefficiencies, severely impacting on health for too long.

Currently, he said too many households have been living on the edge, due to catastrophic financial implications occasioned by the defunct NHIF.

He added that Kenya’s healthcare system had been historically neglected the poor and vulnerable, to whom private sector medical cover remained out of reach.

“This (financial burden) is precisely what we will correct, through the provision of UHC,” said Ruto. “This agenda is not just about a promise, it is about a bold commitment to deliver health through transformative financial reforms, making healthcare accessible and affordable. Digitalising our healthcare services to enhance efficiency, eliminate fraud and stop corruption, and to empower a skilled and motivated health workforce” 

Dr Ruto maintained that a shift to Taifa Care (digitalisation of healthcare) from NHIF is fundamental and radical in both skills and character.

“NHIF, for example, served a few salaried Kenyans and those who could afford to pay, but Taifa Care covers every Kenyan regarding employment or financial status,” said the President, adding, “Despite serving a limited class of citizens, it accumulated billions of shillings in debts because of misalignment between contributions and the actual cost of healthcare”.

According to the president, Taifa Care has undertaken an accurate costing of all healthcare-related goods and services in order to provide timely, effective and efficient services to every Kenyan that is affordable.

Additionally, NHIF had a waiting period lasting between registration and eligibility for service, about three months, but with Taifa Care, he said, citizens are eligible for all services on registration.

“I therefore urge every Kenyan to take the most important step in securing dependable healthcare for themselves and their families. Register now, or at the earliest opportunity,” added Ruto.

With the Primary Healthcare Fund, he said Kenyans can access free primary healthcare in dispensaries, health centres and hospitals, with ambulance and emergency services becoming available at no fee.

“We are tacking corruption, reducing inefficiency, and ensuring that resources are used where they are needed most, and as a result, he added.

On the wrangling between service providers on failure to pay claims running into billions of money, Ruto promised to have to settle this soon.

“Good news, SHA will pay all October claims in full by next week, and it will continue like that going into the future.

Additionally, Ruto said the Treasury has disbursed Sh5 billion to settle historical debts owed to public, private and faith based facilities, some of which have been pending over a decade.

Another 3.7 billion will be disbursed today. "This underscores our commitments to ensuing an uninterrupted delivery of healthcare services, and we will continue to clear the remaining balances in a phased out approach over the coming moths, this will restore confidence in the healthcare system and ensure seamless access to quality services,"

He maintained that the newly established SHIF empowers citizens to contribute towards abroad range of healthcare benefit.

 This represents change from old reactive model to a forward system that prioritises prevention and preparedness.

 “Once the transition from NHIF to SHA is complete, and SHIF becomes fully operational, Kenya will have a healthcare system that guarantees dignity, peace of mind and equitable access for every citizen, for the first time in our 60 years of independence,” he said.

 He added, “We have launched an ambitious healthcare program, one that Kenya has always needed. Like any major transition, there are challenges, but I promise you, we are fully committed to making the system work.

 As we roll out this programme, we are listening to citizen voices and collaborating with counties to deliver better health services through the facility improvement fund”.

 The fund, he said, shall ensure hospitals are equipped with tools needed, medicine, equipment and other resources necessary to provide quality care, while involving citizens in decision-making at every facility.

 “We are now doing the heavy lifting, clearing all old debts, ensuring access to medicine are establishing and system that had failed too many for too long. We are building a healthcare system that serves every citizen with equity and dignity,” the president concluded.