In order to advance universal health coverage (UHC), Mary Muthoni, principal secretary for the State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards, has underlined the necessity of increasing funding for preventative and promotional health.
Ms. Muthoni emphasised the value of prevention during her presentation to the Departmental Committee on Health, pointing out that for every dollar spent on prevention, nine dollars can be saved on curative medical care.
She praised the Committee’s contribution to coordinating funding allotments with the State Department’s directive on preventative healthcare.
Under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) for the 2023–2024 budget, Muthoni identified several important areas of focus, such as disease surveillance, public health management, preventive and promotive healthcare, management of health professions, and strategic interventions for diseases like TB, malaria, and nutrition services.
Each of the State Department’s 20 semi-autonomous government agencies and five directorates has a distinct mission and set of goals.
