Kenya’s UHC Leap: Community Health Units & 2023 Health Acts
Kenya’s UHC Leap: Community Health Units & 2023 Health Acts. President William Ruto will launch Kenya’s ambitious universal health coverage (UHC) plan. Intending to establish a health facility for every 5,000 citizens. The Primary Health Care Act of 2023, signed into law, mandates the creation of community health units across the country for accessible primary healthcare.
These health units, overseen by the 47 county governments, will serve catchment populations of up to 5,000 persons, following national guidelines. The units, defined as having 1,000 households, will collaborate with the national government to ensure UHC success.
Additional laws signed include the Social Health Insurance Act, Digital Health Act, and Facilities Improvement Financing Act. Pending Parliament approval, formal workers will actively contribute 2.75% of their gross monthly pay to a Social Health Insurance Fund. With informal sector contributions fixed at Sh500.
The laws make contributions mandatory for adults seeking government services, and foreigners staying over 12 months must enroll. Those in the country for less than a year require recognized travel health insurance. Severe penalties are in place for defrauding the health insurance scheme.
The Social Health Insurance Fund is expected to fully transition from the existing National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) by October 19, 2024. Despite these measures, Kenya faces challenges, including a shortage of healthcare workers and inadequate facilities.
WHO data indicates Kenya falls short of the recommended healthcare personnel ratio. Dr. Ruto, optimistic about the impact, cited successful pilots in Machakos, Kisumu, Isiolo, and Nyeri counties. However, the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) emphasizes the need for substantial investments in personnel and facilities to realize the ambitious UHC plan.
Kenya’s UHC Leap: Community Health Units & 2023 Health Acts.