Kenya's UHC Crisis: Understaffed and Overwhelmed

Kenya's Healthcare Crisis: UHC Staffing Shortages and the COVID-19 Pandemic Kenya's ambitious Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program has faced significant challenges, particularly concerning staffing levels. This issue was highlighted in a recent interview with Peterson Wachira, National Chairman of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO). Wachira explained that when President Uhuru Kenyatta launched UHC, the country lacked adequate healthcare personnel. Counties, tasked with supporting the initiative, lacked the financial resources to hire more staff. "When President Uhuru Kenyatta, the fourth president, came in and wanted to actualize UHC, they realized that we didn't have adequate staffing," Wachira stated. The government's response involved recruiting 8,551 health workers, but these individuals, hired during the UHC pilot phase, were unexpectedly deployed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This created further strain on an already understaffed system. Wachira also discussed the government's capacity-building efforts, but acknowledged that counties still lack the financial capacity to fully support UHC. He raised concerns about the long-term impact on the health workers who bore the brunt of the pandemic. The interview highlights the urgent need for increased investment in Kenya's healthcare infrastructure and workforce to ensure the success of UHC.