Ruto to Lead 2-Day Health Summit at KICC [Details]

President William Ruto is set to preside over a two-day Health Summit scheduled for August 18 and 19 at the Kenya International Convention Centre (KICC). 

On Monday, August 17, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale inspected the KICC venue ahead of the summit, which will be held under the theme, 'Reform Delivered, Health as a Right.' 

According to Duale, the summit will demonstrate the progress made under the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

"The Summit will showcase the progress of the Government's health reforms under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), demonstrating how a Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society approach is transforming healthcare," he wrote.

Duale said the government will also present key milestones achieved through health sector reforms, including digital transformation, improvements at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), expansion of specialised services and the enrolment of millions of Kenyans into the Social Health Authority (SHA).

"Among the key milestones are the digital health transformation, improved efficiency at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), whose fill rate now exceeds 90 per cent, expanded specialised services through the National Equipment Service Programme (NESP) and the onboarding of more than 31 million Kenyans onto the Social Health Authority (SHA)," he added.

Duale noted that primary healthcare is also expected to take centre stage during the discussions, with particular attention being given to Community Health Promoters (CHPs).

"Primary Healthcare will remain central to the discussions, particularly the role of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in bringing essential services closer to households," he further said.

According to Duale, the summit will further highlight government efforts to improve maternal and newborn health through the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) initiative.

It will also provide an opportunity for healthcare workers, institutions and other stakeholders to participate in discussions on the future of the health sector, culminating in a Presidential Town Hall where members of the public will be able to raise their concerns and expectations.

"Bringing together healthcare workers, institutions and other key actors across the health sector, the Summit will culminate in a Presidential Town Hall, giving Kenyans an opportunity to share their experiences, concerns and expectations.

"It will be a moment to account for reforms delivered, listen to citizens and collectively shape the next phase of the journey towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), where health is a right, not a privilege," he concluded.

This comes a week after the Ministry of Health unveiled the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre, a new facility designed to coordinate emergency medical services across the country.

In a statement after inspecting the facility at the Social Health Authority (SHA) Headquarters on Tuesday, August 4, Duale said the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre will operate through the SHA 922 Lifeline and serve as the country's central command hub for coordinating emergency medical services in all 47 counties.

"Operating under the SHA 922 Lifeline, the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre will serve as Kenya's central command hub for coordinating emergency medical services across all 47 counties," he said.

According to Duale, the centre will provide a unified national platform offering 24-hour ambulance dispatch services, intelligent call management, clinical triage, real-time ambulance tracking and coordination with health facilities to improve emergency response and access to critical medical care.

"Through a single national platform, it will provide round-the-clock ambulance dispatch, intelligent call management, clinical triage, real-time ambulance tracking and seamless coordination with health facilities, ensuring faster response times and improved access to life-saving emergency care," he noted.

Duale further revealed that more than 200 ambulances accredited by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) have already been connected to the system, with additional ambulance service providers expected to join as nationwide coverage continues to expand.

"More than 200 Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC)-accredited ambulances have already been integrated into the system, with additional providers expected to join as nationwide coverage expands," he further said.

Duale added that the dispatch centre is staffed by 40 trained professionals drawn from different disciplines, including medical officers, doctors and customer service personnel, who will oversee emergency dispatch operations and support the centre's digital health systems.

"The Centre is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of 40 trained professionals, including medical officers, doctors and customer service personnel, equipped with the skills required to manage emergency dispatch operations and digital health systems," he explained.