A Different Approach

Health does not begin with disease but is dependent on the way of living, clean environment and good nutrition knowledge.

- Joseph K Wang'Ombe

IN KENYA, the out-of-pocket expenditure on health is around 30 per cent of household income. We are trying to reduce this. A committee has been working since June to develop a proposal for minimum healthcare package that would be made available to people under universal health coverage (UHC). This is an identification of services that would be provided throughout the country to ensure a minimum health status. However, there is a big gap between the funds that are needed and what the government can provide. The country allocates around 3 per cent of its GDP to health, which is around 6 per cent of the total public budget. The package may have to be reorganised depending on how much funding the government will make available at implementation.