Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has unveiled three principal reports that will improve the quality and readiness of the nation’s health services.
Speaking to the people in Nairobi on Monday, Duale said the reports will allow the government to create loopholes within the health department as well as chart future investment to make healthcare available and uniform to all Kenyan citizens.
They include the Quality of Care and Human Resources for Health Assessment, the Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA), and the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) Investment Case.
“These will allow us to understand where the gaps are so we can fill the holes. Good health is not a privilege but a right for all Kenyans,” the CS said.
The study, carried out in collaboration with stakeholders such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, points out significant challenges on staffing and service delivery.
Research established that there were severe staff shortages in some counties, specifically technical health staff, which was affecting the provision of even services in the nation.
Duale further stated the government also aims to improve health systems under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which affirms that maternal and child health remains a priority.
He elaborated that the ministry is also developing a digital maternity dashboard that will monitor real-time data and improve quality of care for expectant mothers.
We would want to reduce the number of mothers who die in childbirth. The new system will allow us to act fast and provide quality services,” he added.
In his address, while chairing the ceremony, Duale thanked Kenya’s health partners for their continued support and called upon all stakeholders to join their hands in supporting the country’s health sector.
The meeting was attended by senior government officials like Principal Secretaries Dr. Ouma Oluga and Mary Muthoni, Director-General of Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, and KEMSA CEO Dr. Waqo Ejersa among other health agencies’ regional and international representatives.