CS for Health Aden Duale
By IP Reporter
NAIROBI, Kenya (IP) — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale last week unveiled sweeping progress in Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda, anchored on the Social Health Authority (SHA) with billions already circulating through the system and ambitious targets set for the coming years.
Duale said SHA is positioned to sustainably raise about KSh90 billion annually from local revenue without borrowing, a projection he framed as proof that Kenyans can fund their own health reforms.
The authority has already registered more than 24 million people under the Taifa Care program and accredited over 7,400 health facilities, forming what officials describe as the backbone of UHC.
Since its launch, SHA has disbursed more than KSh56 billion to health facilities, with claims covering services ranging from childbirth to emergency treatment and chronic disease management.
At the same time, hospitals have seen their revenues grow under the new Facilities Improvement Financing framework, where collections tripled within one fiscal year.
The government is also banking on technology and innovation to close gaps in service.
Duale announced that hospital equipment valued at over KSh200 billion has been mobilized under a leasing program, allowing counties to access modern imaging and diagnostic machines without upfront costs.
Already, tens of thousands of patients have benefited from these services across dozens of hospitals nationwide.
For Kenyans seeking specialized care abroad, the SHA has introduced a benefit package that covers overseas treatment unavailable locally, capped at KSh500,000 per patient annually.
Duale said these reforms mark a decisive break from the past.
“Every Kenyan will be able to access modern, well-equipped facilities and quality care close to home,” he said,
underscoring the government’s pledge that UHC is no longer a slogan but a system backed by numbers, infrastructure and money on the table.
