Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has detailed the range of outpatient services now available at no cost in public health facilities, following President William Ruto’s directive to support Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
In a statement on Sunday, August 10, Duale said the free services are available in all Level 2 to Level 4 public health facilities including dispensaries, health centres, and sub-county hospitals under the Primary Health Care Fund.
“This is a decisive step towards achieving the Government’s goal of UHC. The President has directed that all outpatient services in government facilities be offered free of charge,” said Duale.
The initiative, implemented through the Social Health Authority (SHA), is open to every Kenyan registered under the government health cover.
Patients now qualify for consultations, diagnosis, and treatment of common diseases without paying in cash. The package also covers laboratory tests, basic radiological tests such as X-rays and ultrasounds, and prescription medication, including dispensing and administration.
Duale also said the services cover health education, wellness promotion, counselling, and treatment of non-communicable disease patients, enteric infection patients, sexually transmitted infection patients, and HIV/AIDS patients.
Mental health care is also included, with free psychological and counselling care to Kenyans. Minor outpatient surgery, immunisation under the Kenya Expanded Programme on Immunisation (KEPI), antenatal and postnatal care, and other interventions for child health are among the other services.
The CS urged the public to report any cases where facilities demand payment for the listed services by contacting SHA through 147.
The announcement comes just days after the suspension of 40 hospitals from the SHA programme over alleged fraudulent claims.
Duale said the facilities under investigation will not receive SHA benefits and that the government will recover any funds paid out fraudulently.
