The World Health Day on April 7, 2024, came on the backdrop of reports highlighting the plight of patients unable to access medical services in Kenya.
This was a result of the ongoing doctors’ strike.
The government insists that the country is facing a tight limited fiscal space to meet the doctors’ demands as per the 2017 collective bargaining agreement.
Such narratives shed light on the challenging intersection of quality healthcare and financial constraints.
They underscore the broader systemic issues within the healthcare system in the country, where economic barriers exacerbate health-related crises, plunging patients into a state of destitution.
Over the past few years, a dedicated focus has been on achieving universal health coverage (UHC) as a prominent goal in the country’s national development agenda.
This commitment has been renewed, especially, in the current regime with the passing of four UHC laws: Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), Facility Improvement Financing, Digital Health and Primary Health Care. A move that breathes life into the sector.
The proposed paradigm shift in the country’s health financing couldn’t have come at a better time.
Evidence suggests that donors are moving away from the country following its change in status from a low-income to a low-middle-income country.
Though graduating from foreign aid is a commendable achievement, if not handled well, this transition could reverse gains made in the health sector.
The 2.75% deductions from employed Kenyans through the SHIF could potentially double the total contributions from the more than Sh60 billion collected annually by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to Sh125 billion.
However, an analysis by the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) indicates that if inefficiencies are not addressed, increased domestic resource mobilisation or more money for health may not ensure access to affordable healthcare by all.
As per the World Health Organization, improving efficiency in healthcare systems has the potential to save 20 to 40 percent of current health spending.
Loss of public healthcare resources, for example through false claims, should be addressed.
Recently, Cabinet Secretary for Health Susan Nakhumicha admitted that taxpayers could have lost Sh20 billion through fraudulent NHIF claims in 2023.
This is not an isolated case of misuse of public funds in the Ministry of Health.
Other factors causing inefficiencies in the sector are higher than necessary prices for medicines, medical errors, fragmentation, sub-optimal quality of care, overuse of commodities and supply of sub-standard commodities.
Additionally, there is a pressing need for closer integration of health initiatives provided by different stakeholders to foster synergies, streamline resource allocation, and enhance overall efficiency and health outcomes.
This approach will minimise duplication of efforts and resources, and create a more cohesive and streamlined framework by avoiding overlapping activities and contributing to reduced administrative costs, leading to a more resilient healthcare infrastructure.
The ongoing healthcare workers' strike has exposed the dark underbelly of our healthcare system.
The country should shift towards building a resilient and responsive healthcare system that guarantees citizens value for money through efficient services.
With the sector currently in limbo, there is a need to commit to achievable actions that will ensure health for all remains more than just a lofty aspiration.
Derick Ngaira is a Communications Officer at the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP). [email protected]