The Ministry of Health is spearheading the development of the Kenya Healthcare Referral Policy to strengthen coordination across levels of care and improve patient outcomes.
The initiative, being led by the Division of National Health Referral and Emergency Services under the Directorate of Curative and Nursing Services, aims to address fragmentation within Kenya’s referral system by enhancing continuity of care and improving maternal and child health outcomes.
The proposed policy will institutionalise clear governance structures, digital interoperability standards, accountability mechanisms, and sustainable financing linkages to ensure efficient referral pathways and a resilient nationwide referral ecosystem.
Development of the policy is being undertaken with technical leadership from Futures Health, with support from AfyaReach, Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Living Goods, Jhpiego, and Amref Health Africa.
The policy drafting is currently underway during a five-day consultative workshop in Naivasha, officially opened this week by Dr Andrew Toro, Director of Curative and Nursing Services.
Key areas under consideration include defining levels of care, strengthening port health services, clarifying backward and forward referral pathways, improving the movement of patients, specimens, and specialised expertise, and aligning referral processes with Social Health Authority (SHA) service entitlements.
By Anthony Solly
