Nairobi, May 22, 2025 — Kenya’s government has appealed to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for enhanced financial and technical assistance to accelerate the controversial Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme, even as hundreds of UHC staff across the country continue to protest over pay and employment terms.
On the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale held a bilateral meeting with WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In the meeting, Duale praised Kenya’s progress in piloting UHC and outlined the persistent funding shortfalls that have hampered full national rollout over the past three years. He formally requested that WHO increase its funding envelope and provide targeted support to strengthen Kenya’s health infrastructure and workforce under UHC
“We look forward to deepening our collaboration with WHO to advance our national health priorities and ensure that every Kenyan has access to quality care without facing financial hardship,” Duale stated in a press release.
The UHC programme, launched in 2020 in four pilot counties, aims to guarantee free essential services—including immunisation, maternal health, and treatment for communicable and non-communicable diseases—across all 47 counties. However, rapid expansion has been accompanied by budgetary constraints and a high demand for services, stretching the capacity of hospitals and clinics.
Compounding these challenges, approximately 8,571 health workers hired under UHC remain on contract terms, receiving only half the salaries of their permanent counterparts while carrying out identical duties. These medics—ranging from nurses and clinical officers to laboratory technicians and ambulance drivers—have staged repeated demonstrations demanding salary harmonisation, permanent and pensionable employment, and overdue gratuities .
County governments are due to assume payroll responsibility for UHC staff from July 1, a transition that workers fear will proceed without clear safeguards for fair pay or timely conversion to permanent terms. Health unions have warned that without prompt resolution, the rollout could be further jeopardised by low morale and staffing shortages.
As Kenya presses WHO for increased backing, stakeholders stress that sustained funding and robust oversight will be critical to fulfilling the constitutional right to health. Observers note that successful collaboration between national authorities, counties, and international partners will determine whether UHC can overcome its financial and operational hurdles and deliver on its promise of universal care.
