We’ll deliver accessible healthcare to Kenyans – Duale

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has vowed that the Kenya Kwanza administration will deliver accessible and affordable health care for all.

Speaking on Citizen TV, Duale said that the government is determined and very intentional about dealing with graft in the ministry at all costs.

He insisted that not even cartels will stop him from ensuring Kenyans have access to health care.

“I commit to the people of Kenya that we will deliver a health care that is accessible, affordable, and equitable, and we will deal with the corruption at the Ministry of Health. It is God who decides when I die, not the cartels, and I don’t freak; I’m not afraid. Cartels can do whatever they want to do,” Duale said.

The Cabinet Secretary said that in doing this, he will only listen to three people: President William Ruto, his Deputy Kithure Kindiki and the people of Kenya.

“It is the President and the Deputy President and the people of Kenya that I will listen to.”

Duale admitted that there were a lot of inefficiencies with the now defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).

He added that it was faulty and full of fraud.

The CS said it also had a lot of infighting because some people benefited more than others.

“NHIF was faulty, corrupt, and full of fraud, and the people were fighting,” Duale said.

He noted an incident where someone had undergone a knee operation ten times in a month.

Duale is the third Cabinet Secretary to be entrusted with docket.

Susan Nakhumicha was the first one and was followed by Dr Deborah Barasa, who has since been moved to the Environment, Climate Change and Forestry docket.

During Nakhumicha and Barasa’s tenures, the implementation of the Social Health Authority (SHA) was one of the biggest challenges they faced, as well as doctor strikes over many unresolved issues.

Despite their efforts to come to an agreement, time and again, the doctors took to the streets protesting the lack of commitment from the government.