Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for Kenya’s ongoing health reforms to be measured by the quality of care Kenyans receive at hospitals, clinics and homes rather than by policies and programmes on paper.
Speaking during the Kenya Health Summit 2026, Mudavadi said the government’s focus was shifting towards ensuring that investments in the health sector translate into tangible improvements for patients across the country.
“Every Kenyan deserves a health system that works, not just on paper, but when they walk into a hospital, visit a clinic or need care at home,” Mudavadi said.
He said the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA) had significantly expanded coverage, with 32.3 million Kenyans now registered under SHA, compared with about eight million under the former NHIF system.
According to Mudavadi, KSh178 billion has been paid to health facilities, while about eight million Kenyans have received treatment under the new system.
The government has also expanded investment in medical infrastructure, with Mudavadi saying 850 modern medical equipment units worth KSh9.7 billion have been delivered across 44 counties.
The investments, he said, have supported more than 20 million outpatient visits and facilitated over 500,000 surgeries, while cancer treatment has been expanded to more than 50,000 patients.
Mudavadi also highlighted the role of Community Health Promoters in taking healthcare closer to households, saying the country now has 107,800 promoters who have reached about nine million households with health services and information.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary said the next phase of the reforms would focus on strengthening primary healthcare, digital health systems, reliable access to medicines and increased local production of medical products.
He said the government was seeking to build a health system capable of preventing illnesses, preparing for health emergencies and responding effectively when Kenyans require medical attention.
Mudavadi said the ultimate measure of the reforms should be whether ordinary Kenyans can access quality healthcare, afford treatment and receive services when they need them.
“Our task is to turn reforms promised into reforms delivered,” he said.
