The newly named Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has promised health workers that starting from next month, the Social Health Authority (SHA) will handle and pay out all hospital claims by the 14th day of every month.
The objective of this action is to simplify payment processes and ease the monetary pressure on health care institutions.
On Tuesday, Duale pledged his allegiance during his official inauguration, succeeding his fellow Environment ministry colleague Deborah Barasa.
On his inaugural day, Duale presented a bold plan to transform the nation’s healthcare sector, emphasizing fiscal responsibility, better service provision, and upgraded medical attention for patients.
He restated the administration's dedication to maintaining high standards of efficiency and availability in public health care services.
Following President William Ruto's instructions, Duale stated that there would be enhanced financial backing for intensive care and oncology treatments.
Starting from April 1, 2025, the rebates for ICU and HDU beds will increase to Sh28,000 per day.
Furthermore, oncology patients stand to gain from an improved treatment regimen priced at Sh550,000 per person, greatly enhancing their accessibility to cancer care.
Addressing long-standing workforce concerns, Duale pledged to fast-track all pending human resource issues within the ministry.
He emphasized collaboration with stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions for the sector.
To strengthen the supply of essential medicines and medical commodities, the CS set an ambitious target to increase the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) order fill rate to 90 percent.
To achieve this, Duale disclosed that the government has allocated Sh1.5 billion in the Supplementary Budget to recapitalize KEMSA.
Furthermore, talks are ongoing regarding a Sh5 billion credit facility aimed at ensuring commodity stability, bolstering domestic production, and facilitating large-scale buying to cut expenses.
Duale also pledged to tackle systematic inefficiencies in the provision of healthcare services.
A key part of this strategy is the establishment of a fully operational 24/7 TaifaCare call center, accessible via the toll-free number 147, to handle patient and provider inquiries.
Looking ahead to digital transformation, the CS announced plans to digitize all public health facilities by October 1, 2025, a move aimed at improving service efficiency and accessibility nationwide
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
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