The Cabinet Secretary for Health Sicily Kariuki hosted a Joint Parliamentary meeting on the roll out of the 3.9 billion Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Pilot Program in the four counties of Kisumu, Isiolo, Machakos and Nyeri.
She said the full roll out of UHC Program shall require approximately 40 billion per year over and above the existing resources.
 
The CS pointed out strategic areas towards achieving UHC which includes expansion of the population covered with essential health services and strengthening and broadening the primary health care system.
The health systems strengthening will ensure availability of requisite human resources for Health, medical commodities and medical equipment including leveraging on Technology and public private sector partnerships and strengthening leadership and governance, she noted.
 
She explained that phase 1 of the UHC program focuses on four counties chosen due to different disease burden and patterns namely Machakos due to high rate of trauma cases as a result of road traffic accidents along the Mombasa Nairobi Highway;  Isiolo sparse population density and a high maternal mortality ratio; Kisumu high burden of communicable conditions such as Malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis and Nyeri due to High incidence of non-communicable conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
 
The program implementation will include use of Primary Health Care Approach, Strengthening community health services, ensuring availability of essential commodities and basic equipment at the facility level and removal of user fees at level 4 and 5 public health facilities to reduce out of pocket expenditures for the population among others

Source : http://www.health.go.ke/?p=5024