DP Kindiki evaluates UHC implementation in KNH visit and pledges service improvements
By Mustafa Juma, January 8, 2025
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program, dubbed Taifa Care that is administered by Social Health Authority (SHA).
Kindiki on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, toured the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) to assess the UHC implementation and engage with patients and health workers to establish aspects that require improvement.
Taking to his official X account shortly after his tour, Kindiki stated that 17 million Kenyans are now registered under Taifa Care.
Kindiki on Taifa Care challenges
The second in command further gave an assurance that the government is streamlining all outstanding issues to ensure that hospitals provide services in an efficient and timely manner.
During the KNH visit, DP Kindiki engaged with patients, medical staff, and hospital administrators to gain firsthand insights into the program’s successes and challenges.
“17 million Kenyans are now registered under Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage(UHC) program- Taifa Care. While most of the teething problems have been resolved, The Government is streamlining all outstanding issues to ensure that hospitals provide services in an efficient and timely manner. This morning, toured the Kenyatta National Hospital to assess implementation and engage with patients and health workers to establish aspects that require improvement,” Kindiki wrote on his official X account.
KENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITAL, NAIROBI, KENYA
— Kithure Kindiki (@KindikiKithure) January 8, 2025
WEDNESDAY, 8 JANUARY, 2025
17 million Kenyans are now registered under Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage(UHC) program- Taifa Care.
While most of the teething problems have been resolved, The Government is streamlining all… pic.twitter.com/w8nooeQAtj
Speaking at KNH during his tour, Kindiki said that he had been asked by President William Ruto to go and assess the impact and the experience that the patients and health workers are having under the new UHC programme.
Shifting from NHIF
He went ahead to explain why the government had shifted from the now defunct National Health Insurance (NHIF) to the current Taifa Care.
“This morning I decided to come and spend some time here and I did so because, whereas the Kwenya Kwanza government has a number of areas that we would like to see transformation in our country, some of the areas for transformation are in the economic sector but one of the key deliverable pillars is in the healthcare sector. It is a pillar for the actualization of the UHC. That is why there have been changes that have been made. We have changed the law and the institutional arrangements for delivery, and we introduced Taifa Care which is now housed under the Social Health Authority (SHA),” Kindiki explained.