Principal Secretary of the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni has emphasized the pivotal role of partnerships in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
During a meeting with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) on Thursday, Muthoni underscored that collaboration is essential to overcome challenges such as limited healthcare infrastructure, funding constraints, and shortages of healthcare professionals.
She highlighted the government's commitment to the Facility Improvement Fund Bill 2023, which aims to boost revenue collection for equitable healthcare financing.
"The collaboration with non-state actors, including NGOs and private healthcare providers, is paramount in complementing government initiatives and enhancing healthcare accessibility," she said.
She noted that the transition from curative to preventive healthcare is progressing, thanks to collaborative efforts. She also emphasized the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability of projects.
This includes aspects like monitoring, evaluation, financing, and the development of a resilient healthcare infrastructure.
The Community Health Promoters program is set to be a driving force behind healthier communities, undoubtedly reducing the burden in the healthcare system by preventing diseases, promoting healthier lifestyles, and providing vital health support to those in need.
UHC will be officially launched on October 20, 2023, during the Mashujaa Day celebrations.
100,000 Community Health Promoters will be unveiled during the celebrations, the Ministry of Health has said.
Health CS Susan Nakhumicha on Monday said the 100,000 CHPs have already been trained and equipped with the gadgets they will use in their health promotion work at the community level.
"The training has been done together with our partners and with CoG. The name of the CHP, the identification was done by the county governments so we are happy that we are going to be launching on October 20,” the CS said.
“They have kits and equally given them gadgets because we are living in a time of technology, where they should be able to collect data. That data should assist the ministry in making decisions and those decisions should translate to outcomes for Kenyans.”
