The Kenya Constitution of 2010 guarantees all Kenyan citizens a right to access the highest attainable standard of health, including reproductive health and emergency treatment. Kenya’s health sector is working towards achieving the Vision 2030 goal of universal health coverage (UHC), which should enable all individuals to receive equitable, affordable and quality health care without suffering financial hardship.
Kenya has made strides towards achieving UHC and has made commitments that act as the steering wheel to achieve this goal. In 2015, all United Nations member states, including Kenya, committed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with SDG 3 promoting good health and well-being for all ages. In 2001,African heads of state, including the Kenyan government, ratified the Abuja Declaration, thereby committing to allocate 15% of the domestic government budgets to health. In 2019, African heads of states, also committed to the Africa Leadership Meeting (ALM) Declaration that aimed at increasing domestic investment in health, improving spending and enhancing efficiencies in health financing systems to achieve UHC.
The Kenyan health sector functions are shared between the national and the 47 County Governments. Counties hold 70% of the health functions, whereas 30% of the health functions are implemented at the national level. There have been incremental gains in health budget allocation at the county level since devolution in 2012, but Kenya is still experiencing challenges in the mobilisation and utilisation of the available health resources. Effective implementation of the Kenya Health Financing Strategy (KHFS) 2020- 2030 by national and county Ministries of Health (MoH) will contribute towards increased health investment and maximisation of efficiency and equity in the mobilisation, allocation and use of health resources.
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