Hard truths.
Conducted in partnership with Amref Health Africa, the initiative aims to equip CHPs with essential knowledge and skills to advance Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the strategies mark a major step in integrating climate action into Kenya’s health and development agenda.
Duale said the inclusion of mental health under Taifa Care reflects the government’s commitment to equitable, inclusive, and sustainable healthcare, ensuring that no Kenyan is left behind.
The unions demanded the immediate absorption of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Global Fund, and CHERP staff into permanent and pensionable terms with full back pay by the respective county governments.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale made the announcement during the 28th Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) held on September 29, 2025, in Nairobi.
The ruling follows President William Ruto’s announcement that UHC nurses would begin permanent employment this month.
The initiative will fully cover premiums for 558,000 households, reaching an estimated 2.2 million Kenyans, at a projected cost of Sh4.4 billion.
The deal will see more than 3,032 county employees receive comprehensive medical cover starting October 1, 2025.
Duale reaffirmed government support for the sector, saying local manufacturing would not only transform healthcare delivery but also power job creation under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Governors had turned down the ministry’s proposal for one-year funding, maintaining that absorption must be based on guaranteed resources.
The President explained that the Salaries and Remuneration Commission had already adjusted the pay for the UHC medics, paving the way for their transition to permanent terms.
The President urged counties to support the initiative so that the more than 7,500 workers can begin earning enhanced pay under the new terms this month.