NAIVASHA, Kenya, Jan 28 — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has praised Murang’a County for setting what he termed a “gold standard” in the implementation of universal healthcare, citing the county’s Kang’ataCare programme for fully sponsoring more than 38,000 vulnerable households under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Speaking during a National Assembly retreat in Naivasha, Duale said Murang’a had distinguished itself by meeting its statutory obligations and remitting the full annual premiums for indigent households under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
“I must commend a number of counties and one of the best counties is Murang’a County, which has set a gold standard by fully meeting its statutory obligation and sponsoring over 38,000 indigent households and remitting their full annual premium of the SHIF,” Duale said.
The CS said the Murang’a model, anchored on Governor Irungu Kang’ata’s Kang’ataCare programme, demonstrates how devolved units can support the national government’s push to achieve universal health coverage by ensuring that the poorest households are not locked out of healthcare due to inability to pay.
Duale noted that several other counties are also moving to follow suit, saying they are in the process of compiling lists of vulnerable households to be enrolled into the scheme.
“We have asked other counties — Makueni County, Kisumu County, and many more — most of our counties are also preparing their lists,” he said.
The Health CS said the success of the Social Health Authority reforms will depend largely on cooperation between the national and county governments, particularly in identifying and supporting indigent households.
He urged counties to prioritise healthcare financing for vulnerable populations, arguing that Murang’a’s approach provides a workable template for accelerating progress toward universal health coverage across the country.
Under the Kang’ataCare programme, Murang’a County pays the annual health insurance premiums for vulnerable households, ensuring they can access services under the national social health insurance framework without financial hardship.
