KMPDU welcomes Ksh.4.4B SHA sponsorship for 2.2M vulnerable Kenyans

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has welcomed the launch of the Social Health Authority (SHA) sponsorship programme that is set to pay medical care for vulnerable Kenyans, terming it a key step in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

In a statement issued on Friday, KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah said the government has committed Ksh.4.4 billion to SHA, funds that will cover 2.2 million indigent Kenyans who “would otherwise have fallen through the UHC safety net.”

“Together with allocations by county governments, these funds will provide the much-needed resources for the implementation of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda,” Dr. Atellah said.

He noted that President William Ruto and Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, during the State House launch, reaffirmed the central role of health workers in delivering UHC.

“This commitment was reflected in the full implementation of the doctors’ 2017 CBA and the prioritization of health workers’ welfare,” he said.

Dr. Atellah welcomed the President’s assurance that the national government will absorb all temporary UHC staff, including more than 300 doctors, into permanent and pensionable terms.

“This assurance addresses the concerns raised by county governments on the sustainability of the program,” he added.

The KMPDU boss further expressed appreciation over the “timely payment of interns as per the CBA, as well as the full settlement of the seven-year basic salary arrears owed to doctors.”

On staffing gaps, he disclosed that the Head of State had undertaken to engage Governors on a structured recruitment program to increase the number of healthcare workers needed for UHC.

“We recommended an annual recruitment plan, similar to what is done in the military and police,” he said.

At the same time, Dr. Atellah raised concern over the ongoing lockout of staff in Kiambu, saying: “Consequently, all interns posted to Kiambu are being redeployed to other stations.”