The National and County Governments have reaffirmed the importance of close cooperation in implementing Kenya’s health sector reforms and ensuring uninterrupted delivery of healthcare services.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale joined Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki, governors and other leaders during a Special Session of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC), where discussions focused on healthcare financing, the health workforce and the continuity of services across the country.
A major issue at the meeting was the planned transition of 7,789 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers to Permanent and Pensionable terms, following a directive by President William Ruto.
The government has allocated Sh8.6 billion, including statutory employer contributions, to support the transition.
Duale said the Ministry of Health remains committed to protecting the welfare of the affected workers while ensuring that administrative changes do not interfere with healthcare services.
“The welfare of our health workers remains a priority, and we must ensure that administrative processes do not interrupt service delivery,” Duale said.
The transition has faced challenges, particularly during the movement of workers from the National Government payroll to County Government payrolls. The government has since put in place measures to safeguard the payment of salaries as consultations continue on a sustainable transition framework.
The IBEC meeting also reviewed progress in the remittance of statutory contributions to the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the settlement of legitimate claims submitted by healthcare providers.
According to the Ministry of Health, the claims settlement rate across the country’s 47 counties currently stands at 78 percent, with Sh159.3 billion already paid to healthcare providers.
“Significant progress continues to be made in settling legitimate healthcare provider claims across the country,” the Ministry said.
Efforts to settle outstanding obligations inherited from the former National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) were also discussed.
The reconciliation and approval process for claims of Sh10 million and below per health facility has been completed for 3,526 facilities. So far, 3,058 healthcare facilities have received payments totalling Sh3.63 billion.
Meanwhile, the Council considered a proposal to move the statutory deadline for SHA remittances from the 9th to the 25th of every month.
However, the proposed change has not yet been formally adopted or gazetted.
Following a directive issued by President Ruto during the Kenya Health Summit listen-in session on August 29, the Ministry of Health and the National Treasury are working together to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding addressing the matter.
Officials said the process will consider the necessary legal, administrative and systems requirements before any changes are implemented.
“Sustained collaboration between the National and County Governments will be critical in strengthening the health workforce, improving financial predictability and ensuring uninterrupted access to quality healthcare,” the Ministry said.
The government said the ongoing discussions form part of the broader Taifa Care agenda, which seeks to establish a resilient, responsive and sustainable healthcare system.
“Our focus remains on building a health system that places the wellbeing of every Kenyan at the centre of healthcare delivery,” the Ministry said.
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