Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has admitted that the government is grappling with financial constraints in funding the healthcare system, particularly in rolling out Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Speaking at the Kenyatta National Hospital, Kindiki noted that one challenge is adequately compensating community health promoters, who are integral to primary healthcare under the new Social Health Authority (SHA) framework.
Kindiki revealed that efforts are underway to address the shortfall in Supplementary Budget II by adjusting the 2024/2025 financial budget to raise additional revenue.
“The revenue-raising measures proposed, including the Finance Bill 2024, failed to materialize, which has impacted funding across various government sectors. Despite this shortfall, we are committed to continually adjusting our budget to ensure primary healthcare remains a priority,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President said that the allocated funds for community health promoters might fall short after the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024, with the revised budget expected to generate Sh340 billion in revenue.
He emphasized that the combined budget for community health promoters and primary healthcare services stands at Sh6.2 billion but acknowledged that this amount may still not be sufficient.
Under the ongoing UHC initiative, 17 million Kenyans are now registered in the Taifa Care program. Kindiki was reassured that efforts are being made to address the challenges affecting the smooth implementation of UHC.
