Civil Society Organization have urged government to ensure that in the new dispensation of Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), timely disbursement of funds should be made a top priority to ensure uninterrupted provision of healthcare services.
Speaking at the inaugural Chief Executive Officers (CEOs’) Bi-Annual Learning and Knowledge Sharing Forum hosted by Health NGOs Network (HENNET) and Voluntary Service Oversees International (VSO), Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Country Director, Dr Samuel Kinyanjui, said that the national and county governments should adhere to timely remittance of funds to SHIF as committed in the regulations for indigents saying that the funds should be all inclusive without leaving out anyone including street families and Community Health Promoters stipends as committed during their flagging off ceremony.
“The government through MoH and social health insurance authority (SHIA) should invest into country wide year to year awareness creation and sensitization on the regulations, tariffs, and essential benefits package after Approval and Gazettement to the public and all stakeholders,” Dr Kinyanjui added.
He added that the reports of SHIF disbursement exercise should be generated yearly for at least 5 years from all the 47 counties and CHPs should be equipped with the correct information to support in the country wide recruitment drives. He emphasized that Health CSOs are willing to partner in this exercise.
Ministry Of Health Director, Primary healthcare Directorate, Dr. Joseph Lenai appreciated the role of CSOs has played in the achievement of health outcomes in Kenya. He said that CSO are Key in shaping agenda and outcomes of health in this country.
He urged CSOs to familiarize with The Primary Health Care Act 2023, The Digital Health Act 2023, The Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, Facility Improvement Financing Act and intergovernmental relations framework on the role of CSO, s.
According to, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO, policy expert and Regional Policy and Advocacy Advisor for Africa, Mwangi Waituru, the government should be held accountable around commitment made at the Africa leadership meeting (ALM) 2019 universal health coverage (UHC) declaration.
Waituru challenged the government to disseminate the ALM scorecard prior to submission to African Union. He urged government to digitize Africa scorecard on domestic financing for health so that data is more widely available.
He further called for a consensus building with directorate of health financing and health sectors coordination and intergovernmental relations every 2 years before the ALM.
“Climate change is affecting the landscape of health global priorities are shifting. The donor basket is also shrinking. We need to reposition ourselves and adopt intersectionality approach in resource mobilization architecture.”
While Hennet Executive Director Mary Lubaale stressed the significance of the Public Participation Bill at senate saying that Civil Society Organizations can contribute to Kenya’s quality, inclusive, and productive public participation.
She said that despite of public participations being key in managing public funds and resources, county governments have not successfully implemented effective public participation mechanisms.
