The Ministry of Health is committed to achieving the highest standard of health as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya 2010. We have through the Health Policy and the Kenya Health Sector Strategic plan laid out elaborate plans towards achieving this right to health. In addition to this, we must work towards developing and sustaining a healthy, productive and globally competitive nation in order to realize Vision 2030; taking into account the fact that this collective dream cannot come to life in the absence of a strong population. The Ministry is embarking on a Rapid Results Initiative in the next 100 days promising to deliver key services to Kenyans. They include:
- To increase access to social health insurance, NHIF plans to register 500 households per County. This will see 117,500 poor people registered and 189,370 elderly and persons living with severe disabilities.
- To increase critical care services in the country, the Kenyatta National Hospital will set up two critical care units; each with five beds. This will help reduce death among patients with critical ailments. We will also distribute 100 ICU beds across the country.
- To increase student enrollment at the Kenya Medical Teaching College, we will open four new colleges in the next 100 days in Iten, Rachuonyo, Molo and Othaya.
- KEMSA Logistics Management Information System will be rolled out in 20 Counties to enable them order health commodities online. This has already been done in 27 Counties.
- To enhance consumer protection, the Kenya Medical Practitioners Board and the Pharmacy and Poisons’ Board will come up with an SMS code that will enable the public to know whether their healthcare service providers are duly registered.
- To further protect the gains in the reduction of HIV and reduce the current burden, the ministry will test 750,000 clients and put 25,000 people on ARVs.
- To enable people living with disabilities to access benefits such as tax exemptions, and NHIF cover, the ministry will register 30,000 people with disabilities in the next 100 days.
- To improve access to health services in the slums, the ministry shall establish portable clinics in 100 identified sites in Nairobi, Nyeri, Thika, Kisumu, Mombasa, Kilifi, Eldoret, Nakuru, Nanyuki, Kitale, Nyahuru, Machakos and Kericho.
- To reduce malaria morbidity and mortality, the ministry will distribute six million mosquito nets in malaria prone regions. In addition the ministry shall distribute 11 million doses of antimalarial drugs and train 6,000 health workers on malaria case management.
- To reduce the TB burden, the ministry shall put 20,000 patients on TB treatment in the next 100 days.
- To deal with the current burden of cancer, the ministry shall set up five cancer centers in Nakuru, Kisumu, Nyeri, Mombasa and Kisii and expand the Cancer treatment Centre at the Moi Teaching and Referral hospital as well as Kenyatta National Hospital in the next 18 months.
- To enhance coordination between the National and County governments the ministry shall hold quarterly intergovernmental forums.
We believe that with the continued support of the Members of the National Assembly’s Committee on Health, together with all our affiliated parastatals and regulatory bodies, we shall realize our dream. Let us each play our role as we keep our eyes on the target.
Thank you.