PS Oluga leads county health chiefs in Kisumu meeting to fix UHC bottlenecks

The two-day forum, jointly organised by the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors, has brought together county health leaders, national government officials, healthcare agencies and development partners to assess the implementation of key reforms and agree on priority actions for improving access to quality and affordable healthcare.

The meeting, headlined by Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga and top directors from the Ministry of Health, comes at a critical time as counties continue to grapple with delayed reimbursements under the Social Health Authority (SHA), integration of digital health systems, shortages of essential medicines and blood products, and the operationalisation of emergency healthcare services.

Participants are reviewing the performance of the SHA and exploring ways to ensure predictable reimbursement of claims to health facilities — a move expected to strengthen service delivery and ease financial pressure on counties. Discussions are also focusing on accelerating facility empanelment, improving accountability mechanisms and enhancing coordination between the national and county governments.

Together with partners such as Terumo, participants will also be taken through progress made in blood collection, processing and storage systems, as well as strategies to ensure uninterrupted access to blood products for patients requiring chronic transfusion therapy.

The health chiefs are further examining the status of digitisation of healthcare systems, including the integration of county and national health platforms, as the government pushes for a more efficient and data-driven healthcare sector.

The forum is also assessing the availability and distribution of essential medicines and medical commodities, with counties seeking solutions to supply chain disruptions and stock-outs that have affected service delivery in some regions.

Beyond financing and commodities, the meeting is placing special focus on strengthening emergency and referral services, blood transfusion systems, cancer treatment centres and the sustainability of Facility Improvement Funds.

In line with preparations for World Sickle Cell Day later this month, county officials are also reviewing progress in the prevention, diagnosis and management of sickle cell disease, particularly in high-burden counties.

The deliberations are expected to culminate in a roadmap outlining agreed reforms, timelines and responsibilities aimed at accelerating UHC implementation and improving health outcomes for millions of Kenyans.