The high cost of health care, weak public health and sanitation systems, poor disease diagnosis and the emergence of infectious and non-communicable diseases present a serious impediment to the attainment of Kenya’s ambition of attaining 100 percent Universal Health Coverage. Although great progress has been achieved in the roll-out of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), the cover has been out of reach for the majority of citizens due to accessibility and cost limitations. As a hospital and not a health insurance cover, NHIF is technically limited in the extent to which the regime can assure universal health coverage.
Government Departments, Agencies and partners should give priority to research that will lead to:
- Novel health care delivery and public health systems supported by modern technologies including Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Nanotechnology;
- Promotion of healthier lifestyles and address non-communicable diseases including mental health;
- New technologies to enhance disease surveillance, prevention, diagnosis and treatment;
- Disease prevention-focusing on infectious and non-infectious diseases pharmaceuticals, vaccine development, alternative medicine and emergencies;
- Early diagnosis and treatment of diseases; and
- Environmental health-focusing on water and sanitation, pollution control, occupational health and safety and effect of climate change on health.
