Health Advocacy Roundtable with the National Assembly Health Committee on December 7th 2022 at Radisson Blue Hotel.

The Health NGOs Network (HENNET), PATH and The Kenya Health Federation (KHF), are non-state actors committed to promoting health outcomes in Kenya. In collaboration they hosted a roundtable discussion to forge effective partnership for future engagements, knowledge-sharing, and the mutual exchange of ideas between Civil Society and the members of the National Assembly Health Committee

Why Prioritize Primary Health Care (PHC) in Kenya?

The Kenya Primary Health Care Strategic Framework 2019-2024 outlines that the adequacy of resources and efficiency in which such resources are allocated and used is critical to the provision of quality health service and elimination of inequalities in the operationalization of the Primary Health Care Networks (PCNs). This will guarantee that all Kenyans have access to essential health services they need as provided in the Constitution of Kenya (18), without suffering financial hardship as envisaged under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Although the health budget has been growing, it has not matched the rapidly growing population. While population has grown by 5% in the last 3 years, per capita real allocation to health has increased by only 2.5%. The growth in the health budget is translated to growth in recurrent expenditure. Allocation of the percentage of the health budget to PHC remains minimal despite PHC’s criticality to health outcomes. Counties allocate about 28% of their budgets to health which is still lower than the 35% allocation pre-devolution.

Investing in PHC translates to

• High-quality, low cost of care and cost-effective care for people and communities
• Equitable distribution of health and reduces the health care inequalities in population’s health
• Identification of early warning mechanism to detect and stop disease outbreaks before they become epidemic and pre-empt epidemics before they occur.
• Empowered individuals, families and communities to be active decision-makers for health.
• Improved health through access to more appropriate services

HENNET, PATH and KHF organized the roundtable to make key asks to the national assembly health committee among them are to;

• Sustain increments in health budgets including for Primary Health Care (PHC)
• Approve laws and legislations that prioritize financing towards UHC including private sector engagement
• Interrogate health budgets to raise the priority given to preventive & promotive services

Speaking during the roundtable, Hon. Dr. Pukose Robert pledged to continue engagements with CSOs and private sector to provide legislative support to continue efforts to promote health outcomes for the people of Kenya.

Among other key speakers during the forum were Dr. Margaret Lubaale, Executive Director at HENNET, Dr Kanyenje Gakombe, Chairperson of Kenya Health Federation (KHF) and Melissa Wanda-Policy and Advocacy County Lead Kenya at PATH.

Below is a link to a published post on the same by the times. https://thetimes.co.ke/2022/12/09/health-advocacy-groups-meet-mps-over-financing-primary-health-care-in-kenya/