The government will work with the private sector to actualise the Universal Health Coverage, President William Ruto has said.
He promised to support the pharmaceutical sector to strengthen its local manufacturing capacity.
Ruto said the government will review the tax regime and the cost of doing business in the sector.
The government, he said, will prioritise the purchase of medical supplies from local manufacturers to support its growth.
“Local manufacturing is essential to Universal Health Coverage; lowering the cost of drugs and medical supplies will make it sustainable, affordable and make it work for everybody,” he said.
The President spoke on Wednesday in Syokimau, Machakos county, during the opening of MEDS microbiology laboratory.
Health CS Susan Wafula and deputy mission director of USAID Kenya/ East Africa Bert Ubamadu were present.
The government has set aside 100 acres of the 500 acres in the Thika Special Economic Zone for pharmaceutical firms.
“I invite investors to exploit this space and develop manufacturing plants in Kenya,” Ruto said.
He said Covid was a wake-up call for countries to strengthen their local manufacturing abilities.
The President cited instances where countries withheld medical supplies for their domestic use at the expense of those that rely on their industries.
“Having local manufacturing capacity is an insurance for us of supply even when we have difficult times globally,” he said.
He said the government will also work with faith-based organisations to ensure all Kenyans have access to universal health.
Ruto said his administration has adopted advanced technology to curb corruption and the wastage of healthcare cash.
This, he said, has transformed operations at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority.
The technology will also enhance transparency and accountability in the National Social Health Insurance Fund (NSHIF), formerly the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“Use of technology will help us deal with fake claims and pilferage and make sure Kenya gets value for every penny that they contribute,” the President said.
He urged institutions of higher learning to pursue industry-focused training solutions to bridge the existing knowledge gap.
CS Wafula said the MED facility is a World Health Organization pre-qualified laboratory.
“The lab that we launch today fills the gap in the quality of locally manufactured products in this country,” he said.
Ubamadu said the facility will help protect Kenya from pathogens and future health threats.