High costs, lack of access hinder Kenya's universal healthcare

Shalina Healthcare CEO Shalina Clifford. [Courtesy] Access to affordable, quality healthcare remains a major concern in Kenya, where many citizens face significant financial barriers to receiving essential medical services. Despite the government's commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ongoing reforms, affordability and accessibility continue to hinder the realization of equitable healthcare for all. Healthcare stakeholders emphasize the need for products that are not only of high quality but also affordable, highlighting the delicate balance between maintaining standards and ensuring accessibility for the average Kenyan. Shalina Clifford, Group chief executive of Shalina Healthcare offers insights from the private healthcare business environment, underscoring the challenges of balancing product quality with affordability amid economic pressures. She says quality always comes first. "Every single product we offer is one I would personally take and give to my own children. Beyond quality, affordability is the next crucial factor. "We achieve this balance by managing the entire supply chain ourselves." One of the key challenges is the rising cost of healthcare services, which many Kenyans must pay out-of-pocket due to limited health insurance coverage. With only about 19 per cent of the population insured, according to Amref Health Africa, a vast majority rely on direct payments at the point of service, which often leads to high health expenditures, pushing families deeper into poverty. This situation is worsened by systemic inefficiencies within the health sector, where studies by the National Institutes of Health reveal that a significant portion of allocated resources is used inefficiently, limiting the impact of available funding. Infrastructure gaps also contribute to the problem. Many health facilities across the country lack adequate infrastructure and qualified personnel, which not only affects the quality of care but can increase costs due to inefficiencies and delays. Healthcare costs in Kenya have been steadily increasing, creating financial burdens especially for low-income households. Out-of-pocket payments remain the dominant mode of financing health services, which limits accessibility for many. Additionally, limited insurance coverage exacerbates this issue, leaving many vulnerable to high medical bills and forcing difficult trade-offs between healthcare and other basic needs. Currency depreciation has made it harder to maintain affordable pricing, but Shalina Healthcare manages costs through direct supply chains, reducing middlemen margins to keep medicines accessible. "Kenya, like many countries, has experienced significant currency depreciation in recent years, which makes it tough to keep our products affordable for the end consumer. "While maintaining high quality is a pillar of our business, ensuring affordability for every Kenyan is equally critical. When the currency depreciates, it becomes a challenge, but with our experience, we manage it," said Clifford. Increased health sector funding, especially for primary care, and legislative reforms like the Primary Health Care Act and Digital Health Act aim to strengthen infrastructure, enhance financial protection, and improve service delivery. The fight against counterfeit products is another critical issue. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals pose severe health risks, undermining consumer trust and causing loss of revenue for reputable companies. Clifford calls for stricter regulatory enforcement and vigilance at borders to prevent fake medicines from entering the market. "Counterfeit products put lives at risk. People spend their hard-earned money on medicines they believe will help them, but these fake products can cause more harm than good," she said. "My call to the government is to increase regulation and vigilance, crack down hard on counterfeiters at the market and ports, and stop these dangerous products from entering Kenya."

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High costs, lack of access hinder Kenya's universal healthcare

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