PS Muthoni pushes for preventive and promotive healthcare initiatives in Kilifi

Principal Secretary for the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni on Thursday held talks with the Kilifi county leadership to deliberate on efforts to promote the initiative.

Kilifi County leadership was led by the deputy governor Flora Mbetsa Chebule and county executive committee member of health Peterson Mwarogo.

Muthoni said the government has ameliorated efforts to scale up preventive and promotive healthcare initiatives across the country in driving the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda. 

“We have achieved remarkable progress in public health by distributing long-lasting insecticidal treated mosquito nets in Kilifi county and across the nation,” Muthoni said.

She stated that since November 2023, a total of 8,973,904 nets have been disseminated, benefiting 17,418,202 individuals in 14 counties.

She added that in Kilifi County specifically, 1,121,621 nets have been earmarked for a population of 1.7 million, with 287,985 households enlisted for distribution.

“This initiative underscores our commitment to curbing malaria transmission and improving overall well-being, with a focus on safeguarding vulnerable populations and ensuring fair access to preventive measures,” she noted.

Muthoni said among the key issues they deliberated on was the need to evaluate healthcare programs, address challenges, and strategising to improve healthcare delivery.

“Emphasizing preventive and promotive healthcare, we discussed initiatives such as distributing treated mosquito nets to combat malaria,” said Muthoni.

She said the Ministry of Health is on an overdrive in working with the county governments and development partners in enhancing preventive and promotive healthcare to curb the prevalence of ailments, particularly the tropical diseases.

In November last year, while appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health, Mary Muthoni emphasised the need for greater budget allocation to preventive and promotive health to drive Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Muthoni underscored the importance of prevention, noting that every dollar invested in prevention can save nine dollars in curative healthcare.

She acknowledged the committee's role in aligning budget allocations with the State Department's preventive healthcare mandate.

Muthoni highlighted key focus areas under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) for the 2023/24 budget, including public health management, disease surveillance, preventive and promotive healthcare, health professions management, and strategic interventions for diseases such as malaria, TB, and nutrition services.

The State Department comprises five directorates and 20 Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs), each with specific missions and objectives.