KMPDU calls for health sector reform as devolution marks 10 years
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General, Dr. Davji Atellah, has raised concerns about the state of the health sector as the country marks a decade of devolution.
Dr. Atellah’s recent statement suggests that the healthcare domain has seen limited progress over the past ten years, indicating that county governments have faced challenges in effectively managing the healthcare function.
Dr. Atellah stopped short of advocating for the reversion of healthcare responsibilities to the national government but underscored the need for transformative change.
In a statement issued on 16, August, Dr. Atellah emphasized that the current approach to healthcare needs an overhaul for universal healthcare coverage to become a reality.
He criticized the perception of healthcare as merely a “recurrent expenditure” rather than a crucial investment in the nation’s well-being.
“Over the past 10 years, the impact of devolution on healthcare in Kenya has been a subject of scrutiny. County governments struggle with resources and capacity to effectively manage the health sector,” noted Dr. Atellah.
He also stressed the necessity of revisiting the framework of healthcare delivery in Kenya, urging a shift in focus towards the six core components outlined by the World Health Organization: service delivery, health workforce, information systems, access to medicines, financing, and leadership.
The KMPDU, in partnership with the Linda Ugatuzi Civil Society group, has persistently advocated for a reevaluation of healthcare governance.
As early as March of this year, the unions called for the retraction of health services from county governments to the national government.
They contended that devolution had diminished the quality of healthcare delivery across the nation, citing resource constraints and capacity limitations at the county level.
Dr. Atellah reiterated the unions’ position, stating,
“We need to have an objective direction that even the governors understand that they cannot run healthcare anymore, and we need a health service commission for it.”
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