Uhuru set to roll out UHC for 47 counties

President Uhuru Kenyatta during a luncheon at State House, Nairobi. [PSCU]

President Uhuru Kenyatta will today launch the Universal Health Coverage (UHC), expected to increase access to health services in the country. 

The president will also preside over the international conference on harmonisation of curriculum and training of health professionals at a separate venue in Mombasa.

Speaking at the Port Reitz Hospital where the UHC launch will take place, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the UHC programme championed by the national government was finally ready for a rollout in the 47 counties.

Kagwe who was with Coast regional commissioner, John Elungata, said the government will scale up UHC based on experiences from the pilot phase of the programme in four counties.

“The implementation of universal health coverage as one of the Big Four agenda will, in the long run, ensure that all individuals and communities have access to quality essential health services without suffering from financial hardships,” said Kagwe. 

At the venue of the curriculum training, preparations were in top gear yesterday with about 1,000 health professionals from all over the world checked in for the conference tasked to discuss a curriculum that would address challenges encountered during the Covid-19 pandemic such as the use of tele-medicine.

UHC is one of the Big Four strategic pillars which will see major policy and administrative reforms in the medical sector, to ensure has access to quality and affordable medical coverage by 2022.