KENYA — President William Ruto is scheduled to sign the proposed Universal Health Coverage (UHC) bills into law, as reported by the Standard Newspaper.
These bills are poised to accelerate the implementation of UHC, with the official launch planned for Mashujaa Day in Kericho.
The Kenyan UHC program, initiated as a pilot program in 2018 across four of Kenya’s 47 sub-national governments, aims to extend health coverage and services.
This endeavor aligns with the global effort, in collaboration with other United Nations member states, to achieve universal health coverage worldwide by 2030.
Universal Health Coverage/Care (UHC) is a fundamental concept defined by the World Health Organization.
It ensures that people can access essential health services without incurring financial hardship. In practical terms, it means that individuals and communities can avail promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative health services of adequate quality, free from financial strain.
For Kenya, as it strives to reach the ambitious goals outlined in the Kenya Vision 2030, which seeks to elevate the nation to a newly industrialized, middle-income country with an enhanced quality of life for all its citizens by 2030, the achievement of universal health care is imperative.
The UHC bills, which include the Primary Health Care Bill, Facility Improvement Financing Bill, Digital Health Bill, and the Social Health Insurance (formerly NHIF) Bill, aim to create a contributory health insurance scheme for the entire population.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha disclosed that the four key UHC Bills have been finalized by Parliament.
The Social Health Insurance is designed as a contributory health insurance scheme to deliver UHC across the entire population. While it’s mandatory for formal workers, it remains voluntary for informal workers.
Yet, the scheme’s coverage among informal workers, constituting a significant portion of the Kenyan workforce, is limited. In fact, only 17.7% of the population, out of an estimated 2.9 million persons, is covered by NHIF.
Moreover, there are concerns among health workers about insufficient human resources and hospital equipment, which often lead citizens to pay out-of-pocket for medical costs.
Once the digital healthcare law is enacted, Kenya will have real-time data for informed decision-making. The creation of a digital superhighway, as envisaged, aims to integrate and safeguard patients’ data.
In line with this digital transformation, the government seeks to establish a robust health networking system to collect and disseminate health data across the country.
This convergence of healthcare and digital technology underscores the 21st-century imperative, as the interplay between them grows increasingly important.
Digital technology is envisioned as a catalyst for enhancing the healthcare system and facilitating the broader development agenda of President Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The Ministry of Information is playing a vital role by rolling out a substantial Fiber Backbone Infrastructure, targeting various public institutions, including health facilities, schools, and the Judiciary.
In tandem, the government is set to introduce 1,450 village digital hubs to spur e-commerce, the creative industry, and the digital economy.
Notably, efforts to address gaps in human resources for health are underway, focusing on developing skills to leverage the benefits offered by new digital tools.
With these developments, there’s a renewed emphasis on reviewing the medical curriculum to ensure it aligns with the evolving healthcare landscape and equips healthcare professionals with the necessary skills.
As a result, patients at all levels of the healthcare pyramid will have access to their own medical records.
These transformative laws are receiving support from various health stakeholders who see them as vital to enhancing healthcare for all Kenyans.
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