Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has called on county governors to accelerate administrative and financial measures critical for the rollout of the Social Health Authority and the ongoing expansion of universal health coverage in Kenya.
Speaking at the 29th Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) in Nairobi, Duale urged counties to update bank details for more than 1,287 health facilities.
“We cannot pay them because of the details that they have provided… we really want that immediately resolved," he warned.
The Health CS stressed the urgency of signing the National Equipment Service Program addendums, which will release funds to maintain medical equipment across 126 facilities nationwide, valued at Sh6.18 billion.
“I urge governors to sign the next addendums in order for us to operationalize the funds for maintaining these agreements,” he said, emphasizing that timely action is essential for sustaining health services.
Duale also pressed counties to fully implement the Facility Improvement Act, highlighting that revenue retained by facilities should supplement, not replace, their equitable share of funds.
“We want counties to support us in the programs for helping the indigents in our country,” he said, praising Murang’a and Mombasa for already registering vulnerable households and paying their premiums to ensure no one is left behind.
Since October 2024, the Social Health Authority has enrolled 29.4 million Kenyans under the Taifa Care Initiative, collecting Sh142 billion and disbursing over Sh102 billion to health providers to maintain uninterrupted services.
Under the Primary Health Care Fund, 8.08 million people have accessed services, while 3.2 million have received specialized care through the Social Health Insurance Fund. Duale commended top-performing counties, naming Nairobi, Kiambu, Mombasa, Kakamega, and Bungoma for maximizing fund utilization.
On maternal health, he reported that 583,298 normal deliveries and 326,684 cesarean sections have been supported nationwide since October 2024. The authority has also registered more than 48,000 teenage mothers, ensuring access to critical care.
Duale urged counties to enroll staff in the Public Officers Medical Scheme, covering civil servants and teachers, which he said would safeguard employees and boost county facility revenues.
He emphasized that resolving administrative challenges promptly is vital to delivering a healthcare system that is “accessible, affordable and dignified for our people,” underscoring the need for collective action to achieve universal health coverage.
