Newly appointed Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has shared his ambitious goals to reform and strengthen Kenya’s healthcare sector.
During his official handover at Afya House on Tuesday, Duale expressed a firm commitment to improving the efficiency of healthcare services across the country, with a particular focus on timely disbursement of funds to health facilities.
One of his primary objectives is ensuring that Social Health Authority (SHA) claims are settled by the 14th day of each month, a move that aims to enhance cash flow for hospitals and ensure smoother operations.
Duale also urged individuals and organizations to contribute to the welfare of the underprivileged through the SHA Sponsorship Portal, offering a platform for those willing to make a difference. The CS emphasized that the agency is ready to assist anyone seeking guidance on how to get involved.
By March 2025, the SHA had disbursed a total of Ksh25.4 billion to empanelled and contracted health facilities. Of this, Ksh22.2 billion came from the Social Health Insurance Fund, while Ksh3.2 billion was allocated from the Primary Healthcare Fund.
Duale further shared that over 20.8 million Kenyans, along with 5.7 million dependents, have registered with SHA, with Mombasa, Bomet, Nyeri, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Kirinyaga counties leading in registration.
Addressing long-standing human resource challenges, Duale pledged to expedite the resolution of pending issues, such as finalizing Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) with various unions.
In his efforts to improve the efficiency of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), Duale aims to increase KEMSA’s order fill rate to 90 percent. This goal will be supported by a Ksh1.5 billion recapitalization plan and negotiations for a credit facility of up to Ksh5 billion.
Acknowledging the current 43 percent order fill rate, Duale attributed KEMSA’s stockouts to a lack of finances to replenish essential Health Products and Technologies.
In another significant move, Duale announced that starting April 1, 2025, ICU and HDU bed rebates would be increased to Ksh28,000 per day. He also revealed that the Oncology package for cancer patients would be enhanced to Ksh550,000 per person.
Duale assured the public that his ministry would address any system issues to ensure seamless service delivery. To further improve healthcare access, he announced plans to launch the Taifa Care Call Centre, a 24-hour service available via toll-free number (147), operational seven days a week to assist with inquiries and provide support.
