Health CS inaugurates Health Benefits, Tariffs Advisory Panel to advance UHC

Health CS Aden Duale before the National Assembly's Health committee at Parliament buildings, Nairobi. May 14, 2025. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Monday inaugurated the Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel and its Secretariat, marking a milestone in Kenya's journey toward the full implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The event, held at the Ministry of Health headquarters, signified the formal operationalisation of a key component of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023. The Advisory Panel, gazetted on April 23, 2025, will play a central role in developing inclusive, evidence-based health benefit packages and tariff structures. These efforts are designed to ensure affordable and accessible healthcare for all Kenyans under the UHC framework. It is chaired by public health expert Prof Walter Jaoko and comprises distinguished professionals from the Ministry of Health, academia, county governments, and civil society. It is mandated to guide the Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority (SHA) on the design, review, and sustainability of benefit packages and healthcare tariffs using health technology assessments. "Our goal is to deliver healthcare that leaves no one behind," said Duale. "This panel is central to ensuring that the services offered under UHC align with national health priorities, are affordable for the public, and are financially sustainable for the nation." He emphasised the need for data-driven health policy, calling on the Panel to assess disease burden, health service accessibility, and affordability to inform its recommendations. He also noted the lack of uniform pricing across the health sector, describing personal examples of high consultation fees and calling for standardisation to protect patients from exploitation. Principal Secretaries Dr Ouma Oluga (Medical Services) and Mary Muthoni (Public Health and Professional Standards) echoed Duale's sentiments. "This is a great day," said Muthoni. "The public has raised concerns over inequitable health services, and this Panel will help design fair, evidence-based, and sustainable health benefit packages that address Kenyans' real needs, especially at the primary health care level." The panel will also advise on unbundling healthcare tariffs, identifying priority services that are lacking, and integrating donor-supported programs into the national system. It is expected to meet at least twice annually and produce guidance that helps rationalise pricing for consultation, diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals. In outlining the Panel's priority areas, Duale cited critical issues including high service costs, inadequate data on health system performance, the lack of price regulation for services and commodities, and the growing burden of chronic illnesses such as cancer and mental health conditions. He challenged the Panel to recommend sustainable and inclusive solutions that promote equity and ensure value for public funds. "We must adapt digital tools, strengthen public-private partnerships, and build technical capacity within the ministry and the Panel itself," he added. Calling on all stakeholders-from county governments and professional bodies to civil society and development partners-Duale reaffirmed the government's support for the Panel. "This is not just a technical exercise. Building a sustainable healthcare system is a strategic investment in our people and our economy." The Advisory Panel's work is expected to lay the groundwork for a more transparent, affordable, and effective healthcare system in Kenya. It also marks a departure from opaque practices under the defunct NHIF, with a focus on accountability and inclusivity. "The era of ad hoc decisions in healthcare financing is over," Duale said. "We now move forward with a structured, transparent, and accountable system that puts the health of Kenyans first."

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