Kindiki calls for stronger intergovernmental relations for SHA success

The DP said Taifa Care, being operated by the Social Health Authority (SHA) is one of the most consequential healthcare programs to be rolled out in the country, urging open engagements to ensure its success.  

“We are implementing one of the most consequential healthcare programs. What we are doing with Taifa Care is extremely consequential. Many countries have tried and abandoned providing publicly funded universal health systems. Kenya has taken a bold step,” the DP said.

The Deputy President spoke on Monday when he opened the 28th Ordinary Session of Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council at the Official Residence in Karen, Nairobi.

So far, progress has been made in SHA registration, approval and settling of hospital bills. As of Monday over 26.5 million Kenyans have registered.

From this, Ksh.70 billion has been raised from 4.4 million Kenyans who are actively contributing towards their healthcare. Patients can also get access to services at over 10, 000 approved facilities nationally.

Counties leading in registration are Mombasa, Bomet, Kirinyaga, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Nyeri while Garissa, Turkana, Isiolo, Marsabit, and West Pokot have reported the least registration.

To date, Ksh. 59.3 billion has been paid under Social Health Insurance Fund. From it, Sh 29.8 billion has been paid to private providers, Ksh.13.7 billion to county facilities, Ksh.9.9 billion to faith-based institutions and Ksh.5.9 billion to national referral facilities.

The Deputy President said IBEC provides the best platform to engage, urging the parties to take advantage of it to trash out pending and emerging issues for smoother and more beneficial intergovernmental relationships.

“IBEC is the cornerstone of the dialogue between the two levels of government. IBEC is where we thrash out emerging issues around functions that are devolved, those reserved for the national government and those shared between the two levels of government,” noted Kindiki. 

Other critical issues that cropped up during the session touched on improved agricultural productivity, hastening of County Agricultural and Industrial Parks for better returns to farmers, settling pending bills and faster disbursement of county financial allocations.

The DP said both levels of government should endeavor to guard devolution terming it the most promising character of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution.

“We must preserve and implement devolution as we preserve and implement the Constitution,” he noted.

He asked for full support for the government’s agenda towards enhanced macro-economic stability, value-chains reforms, infrastructure development, job creation and improved health and education.  

“We must look at the economy as an integrated whole. The priority issues that we are implementing should not be different between the national and county governments.”