The State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, together with its Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs), today appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Health to present the Supplementary Estimates aimed at strengthening Kenya’s health system.
During the session, officials outlined a strategic shift from a predominantly curative model towards a more preventive and promotive approach to healthcare, prioritising investments in disease prevention, health promotion, and strengthened early warning and response systems to reduce the burden of preventable illnesses.
Key priorities highlighted included strengthening disease surveillance and emergency preparedness, expanding access to Primary Health Care through Primary Care Networks, and supporting Community Health Promoters through training and deployment to enhance service delivery at community level.
The presentation also emphasised ongoing efforts to scale up the prevention and control of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and malaria, strengthen community-based health interventions, and advance health research, innovation, and quality assurance systems.
In addition, the operationalisation of the Kenya National Public Health Institute was underscored as a critical step in improving coordination and response to public health threats.
The department called for increased resources to support these priority programmes, strengthen frontline health services, and sustain progress towards Universal Health Coverage in Kenya.
By Anthony Solly
