Shot in the arm as UHC receives Ksh 62.3B in budget allocation

The government has set aside Ksh62.3B to fund the Universal Health Coverage pillar of the Big 4 Agenda in the 2022/2023 fiscal year.

While reading the budget statement in Parliament on Thursday, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani announced an additional Ksh15B up from Ksh47.7B allocated to UHC in the last financial year.

CS Yatani said the monies will go into strengthening various health programs under the UHC with Ksh 7B going into the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines, and Ksh 4.1B for Free maternal Health Care.

“We have continued to strengthen our health care systems in our quest for universal health coverage,” Yatani said

“Better health outcomes depend on the availability, accessibility, and capacity of health workers to deliver quality services anchored on well-equipped and provisioned health care facilities,” he added

Another Ksh5.2B has been allocated for the Managed of Equipment Services and Ksh1.8B to provide medical cover for the elderly and severely disabled persons.

To lower cases of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and tuberculosis in the country, Ksh 16.2B has been recommended to handle various interventions. An additional Ksh 5.2B has also been set aside to enhance the vaccines and immunizations programme.

Health Service Delivery

The government has also allocated funds to various hospitals across the country to enhance service delivery in the health care sector.

Kenyatta National Hospital received an allocation of Ksh18.1B, Moi Teaching and Referal Hospital Ksh 11.7B, Kenya Medical Training Centres Ksh 7.7B, Ksh 2.9B for the Kenya Medical Research Institute; Ksh 1.1B for the construction of Kenya National Hospital Burns and Paediatrics Centre.

Other key allocations include; Ksh 1.2B for procurement of family planning & reproductive health commodities, Ksh 300M for procurement of cyberknife radiotherapy equipment, Ksh 1.3B for construction of cancer centre at Kisii level V hospital, and Ksh 619.0 million for procurement of equipment at the National Blood Transfusion Services.