Two crucial bills meant to support the government’s UHC plan by enhancing healthcare access and quality for all citizens have been tabled in Parliament.
The Primary Health Care and Facilities Improvement Bills, 2023 underwent the first reading Tuesday afternoon.
The Primary Health Care Bill 2023 establishes a framework for delivering, accessing, and managing primary health care.
The Bill also proposes the establishment of a Primary Healthcare Advisory Council at the National Government that advises the national government and county governments on implementation of primary healthcare services.
It also establishes the County Primary Health Care Advisory Committees at the county level that is tasked to ensure the effective implementation of primary healthcare through resource mobilization, advocacy and the planning and development of primary healthcare service delivery.
Financing
The Facilities Improvement Bill bill seeks to provide for public health facility improvement financing and management and administration of the improvement financing and for connected purposes.
The justification for the Bill is found in section 109(2)(b) of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, which stipulates that the County Treasury for each county government shall ensure that all money raised or received by or on behalf of the county government is paid into the County Revenue Fund, except money that may, in accordance with other legislation, this Act, or County legislation, be retained by the county government entity that received it for the purposes of defraying its expenses.
The Bill aims to ring-fence money generated in health facilities, ensuring a predictable, regular, and steady source of funding for health facility operations in the counties.
This is intended to guarantee that funds are utilized for the improvement of patient care at individual health facilities, preventing them from being absorbed into county coffers.
The approach is expected to stimulate increased revenue collection by health facilities, contributing to the realization of the Universal Health Coverage target of augmenting expenditure on healthcare infrastructure throughout the country.
The government has initiated four new health bills that it says will revolutionise healthcare delivery.
