Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga says President William Ruto’s administration is committed to transforming the health sector and protecting families from the financial burden of medical bills.
Oluga said the government was implementing major reforms aimed at making healthcare more accessible and affordable, including strengthening emergency medical services and expanding the range of services available at lower-level health facilities.
Speaking in Suna West, Migori County, during the groundbreaking of inpatient blocks at Bugumbe Health Centre and Nyamaraga Sub-County Hospital, Oluga said the reforms were designed to protect Kenyans from the financial burden associated with seeking medical care.
“Going forward, no Kenyan should be required to sell their property to access healthcare services, whether it is an ambulance or any other form of care,” Oluga said.
His remarks came days after President Ruto launched the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre and the SHA 922 Lifeline in Nairobi, an initiative aimed at ensuring Kenyans can access emergency medical services regardless of their financial status.
Oluga urged Kenyans who have not registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to do so, saying registration would help cushion households from the economic shock caused by medical bills.
“By registering with SHA, Kenyans will be cushioned from hard economic times that force them to dispose of their hard-earned and inherited properties to offset medical bills,” he said.
The PS said the government was upgrading health facilities across the country to ensure services covered under SHA are available even at lower-level facilities.
He said the government’s focus was to bring quality healthcare closer to the people while reducing the financial burden associated with accessing treatment.
Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko welcomed the construction of the inpatient blocks, saying the projects would expand the capacity of the two facilities and improve the quality of care available to residents.
Ayacko said the new facilities would increase treatment capacity, improve patient care and bring quality and affordable healthcare services closer to the people of Migori.
He said the county government would continue working with the national government to strengthen partnerships and attract more development projects to the county.
“We will continue to foster partnerships between the Migori County Government and the National Government to ensure more development for the benefit of the people of Migori,” Ayacko said.
The two projects are expected to ease pressure on existing health infrastructure and increase the number of patients the facilities can accommodate.
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