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The formal handover ceremony was led by Dr. Ouma Oluga, the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Medical Services.
KENYA—Dr. Mercy Mwangangi has officially taken over as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kenya’s Social Health Authority (SHA), succeeding Dr. Robert Ingasira, who had been serving in an acting role.
The formal handover ceremony was led by Dr. Ouma Oluga, the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Medical Services.
During the event, Dr. Oluga highlighted the need for SHA to establish a strong framework that promotes better health outcomes for Kenyans.
He emphasized the importance of upholding the right to health and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which aims to ensure that all citizens have access to essential health services without financial hardship.
Additionally, Dr. Oluga called on the agency to cultivate a culture of discipline, hard work, and exceptional service delivery. He assured SHA of the government’s full support in achieving the goals of UHC.
In her remarks, Dr. Mwangangi outlined her vision and priorities for the agency. She pledged to rebuild public trust by increasing transparency and accountability within SHA.
“We must clearly show Kenyans how their contributions to SHA are being used to improve health services,” she stated.
To achieve this, she promised to provide comprehensive performance reports that detail the health outcomes the agency is working toward.
One of Dr. Mwangangi’s main focus areas will be strengthening primary healthcare services across the country.
She also recognized the need to improve communication with the public about the benefits and entitlements available through SHA.
Many Kenyans remain unaware of the health services they can access, and she stressed the importance of engaging with the community.
“Listening to the concerns of Kenyans is critical,” she said. “We must address the perception that their voices have been ignored.”
Dr. Mwangangi’s appointment comes at a challenging time for SHA.
The agency has been grappling with several operational difficulties, including frequent system downtimes, delays in processing health insurance claims, and funding shortages.
Furthermore, low contribution rates have put additional strain on the system, as only a small portion of registered members are actively making payments.
These issues have hindered SHA’s ability to deliver timely and effective health services to its members.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Mwangangi’s commitment to transparency and accountability has given many Kenyans hope that the agency can turn things around.
By focusing on clear communication, improved service delivery, and stronger management, she aims to restore confidence in SHA and ensure that it fulfills its mission of providing accessible, quality healthcare for all.
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