How to Access Universal Health Care in Kenya

What is universal health care UHC.

Universal Health Care (UHC) is a programme set out to help communities in our society to be eligible to receive health services without undergoing any financial hardships. The initiative UHC is expected to catalyze the transformation of the country’s health care that has been negatively influenced by poverty and lack of medical insurance. Some of this services offered by UHC include; full spectrum of essential, quality health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.

Who is eligible?

Every Kenyan is eligible to ACCESS Universal Health Care services which will be issued by NHIF in various heath facilities.

Benefits

• Kenyans will have increased access to preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services at minimum financial burden, thereby eliminating inequalities in access to health care.
• Kenyans will have free consultation, diagnosis services for normal ailments and get drugs for free.
• UHC is expected to boost access to medical and minor surgical services, maternal and child healthcare services through the support of elaborate public health education.
• The programme will also enhance HIV, tuberculosis and malaria treatment in the country.

Funding

The World Bank has taken an initiative and contributed Sh2 billion

Counties will have to pay community health workers for services rendered

UHC is also funded by the government and other development partners

The programme will be fully rolled out nationally 2022

Counties that already have UHC

There are only four counties that have received UHC services. That is, Isiolo, Machakos, Nyeri and Kisumu counties. It is not that there are better counties than the rest but because they are the most greatly affected counties hence get more attention.

UHC is not just about health financing

It encompasses all components of the health system: health service delivery systems, the health workforce, health facilities and communication networks, health technologies, information systems, quality assurance mechanisms and governance and legislation.

UHC is comprised of much more than just health. Taking steps towards UHC means steps towards equity, development priorities and social inclusion and cohesion