African governments urged to fully fund primary healthcare through taxes to curb corruption, wastage

A number of African countries currently fund their healthcare schemes through a combination of beneficiary contributions, taxes, and government allocations. However, some nations still require patients to fully cover their medical expenses out of pocket.

In Kenya, significant progress has been made through a multi-source funding approach. The country’s healthcare scheme receives allocations from County Governments, financial supplements from the National Government, and contributions from beneficiaries.

Some experts argue that this multi-tiered funding model enables a more equitable distribution of financial responsibility among stakeholders while ensuring sufficient resources for the delivery of comprehensive healthcare services.

However, healthcare delegates attending the Evidence for Development (Evi4Dev) conference in Nairobi suggested that, based on existing data, taxes collected from citizens could be used to fully fund primary healthcare (PHC). This approach, they believe, would ease the financial burden on citizens and help curb corruption and the misuse of public funds.

“Governments should consider fully funding primary healthcare through taxes. These services should be free and accessible to everyone without spending a coin,” said one delegate.

During a breakout session on strategies and innovations for sustainable financing of primary healthcare, Dr. Andrew Dabalen of World Bank Africa shared his professional experience, emphasizing the importance of government-funded PHC systems. His views were echoed by Georgina Bonet Arroyo from the World Health Organization (WHO), who highlighted the need for universal healthcare access—available anytime, anywhere, at no cost to the user.

The inaugural, biannual Evi4Dev conference—focused on data use for sustainable development in Africa—brought together experts and partners from over 28 African countries to chart forward-looking strategies for advancing the continent’s health sector using existing evidence.