Health services at local health facilities are set to improve following the launch of a new quality improvement programme by the Ministry of Health.
Patients visiting these facilities, such as health centers, are likely to receive quality services with the introduction of the new programme, referred to as the Kenya Quality Model for Health Plus (KQMH Plus). This program has been launched by the Ministry of Health, with the support of PharmAccess, at Angola Health Centre, located at Kisumu East Sub-County.
While launching the program, the Ministry’s Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, noted that the new program has been introduced to address the gaps that have been experienced at the grassroots level regarding the quality of services rendered to patients at these facilities, where the majority of the population first access health services.
“Access to quality health services alone is not enough; we need to ensure that the services we provide to the people are safe, effective, and respectful,” Ms. Muthoni said, noting that the new program will help health service providers to improve the way they serve the patients every day.
The focus of the program is the introduction of a clear and effective system for health facilities to regularly assess their performance, improve their weaknesses, and maintain the set standards of service delivery. According to the officials, this will lead to improved patient experience and health outcomes.
Leaders from Kisumu County, who attended the launch of the program, said the initiative comes at a critical moment as the county continues to improve primary healthcare service delivery. Kisumu County Deputy Governor Dr. Mathew Owili said the improvement of quality service at health centers will help reduce the workload at referral health facilities and increase confidence in public health facilities.
In attendance at the launch of the program at Angola Health Center was Kisumu County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo, PharmAccess Global Director of Quality Aafke De Graaff, Kisumu County Executive Committee Member for Health Dr. Gregory Ganda, among other health officials.
The launch of the program at Angola Health Center marked the beginning of the wider roll-out of the KQMH Plus program, and the ministry announced that similar programs will be rolled out in other counties as part of the efforts to improve healthcare service delivery at the community level.
