Health & Education

Following decades of stagnation in basic health care indicators, Kenya’s health sector is slowly picking up. Health care spending however remains low, while key indicators such as maternal mortality have stayed high for a decade. Nonetheless, recent reforms have painted a brighter picture for health care in Kenya. President Uhuru Kenyatta’s goal to deliver universal health care has seen the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) significantly expand its activities and coverage in the last year, raising hopes of coverage expansion for low-income people. Meanwhile, over the past decade, intensive attention and investment have been directed at Kenya’s education sector as the government works toward industrialisation under the Vision 2030 national development plan. The introduction of universal primary education and the abolition of secondary school fees have created a more inclusive system, improving a number of basic indicators. A sharper focus on technical, industrial, vocational education and training (TIVET) activities will bolster employment outcomes, and new emphasis on ICT uptake will broaden access and enhance skills development.

This chapter contains interviews with James Macharia, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health; Mabel Imbuga, Vice-Chancellor, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.