We will not relent until all Kenyans are registered under SHA, DP Kindiki says
The drive to register all Kenyans under the Social Health Authority (SHA) is being stepped up to ensure they get access to healthcare services through the national Taifa Care programme, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said. The DP said Taifa Care is Kenya’s boldest and most consequential healthcare programme since independence, revealing the government targets [...] The post We will not…
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki announced a heightened campaign to register all Kenyans under the Social Health Authority (SHA) in order to provide universal healthcare through the Taifa Care programme. Taifa Care is described as Kenya's most ambitious healthcare initiative since the nation's independence, with the government aiming to enroll 40 million citizens by year-end, having already registered 32 million over the past two years.
The DP highlighted the significance of Taifa Care in ensuring healthcare accessibility and universal health coverage for the Kenyan populace. President William Ruto inaugurated the Kenya Health Summit, where Kindiki emphasized the importance of healthcare for every citizen, noting that the current coverage stands at 60 percent, a considerable improvement compared to other countries.
The increased registration efforts are credited to expanded healthcare personnel recruitment, improvements in remuneration to deter industrial actions, and the distribution of better medical equipment for enhanced diagnostics and treatment. Since 2022, the government has deployed 24,573 healthcare interns, sponsored medical registrars, and committed to hiring 5,000 additional nurses and midwives.
Additionally, 107,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) have been recruited to serve as primary contacts for village residents, conducting essential health assessments and guiding citizens on appropriate medical actions. The National Equipment Service Programme (NESP) has provided sophisticated medical equipment worth 9.8 billion shillings to 239 health facilities across 44 counties, facilitating effective disease diagnosis and treatment.
The government is also prioritizing the supply chain of medicines through the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency, which has undergone substantial reforms to ensure the safety and quality of medical products. The Primary Healthcare Fund, another crucial component, has disbursed 23.3 billion shillings to 9,300 Level 2 and Level 3 facilities, supporting over 20 million outpatient visits by more than 15 million Kenyans.
These advancements have led to the expansion of Primary Care Networks from two pilot sites in 2022 to 278 hubs nationwide.
Written by urgent.news from KahawaTungu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
