John Mbadi Advocates for Improved Coordination in Universal Health Coverage Implementation
“We must ensure that there is effective delivery of UHC by finding ways to improve cooperation, collaboration, partnership, and information sharing,”
Cabinet Secretary for Treasury John Mbadi.Photo by Business Daily.
By Robert Mutasi
Cabinet Secretary for Treasury, John Mbadi, today called for stronger collaboration and coordination between the national and county governments to ensure the successful implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Speaking during a consultative meeting with the Council of Governors’ Health Committee, Mbadi emphasized the need for effective partnerships, seamless cooperation, and improved information-sharing mechanisms to enhance healthcare delivery across the country.
The Cabinet Secretary highlighted that improving coordination in the healthcare sector is crucial for achieving UHC, which remains one of the government’s top priorities.
“We must ensure that there is effective delivery of UHC by finding ways to improve cooperation, collaboration, partnership, and information sharing,” Mbadi said.
He further noted that aligning efforts at both levels of government is vital for achieving the broader vision of UHC.
Mbadi also addressed a key challenge affecting counties—delays in disbursements of funds from the national government.
He described the current practice of county finance officers having to travel to Nairobi to follow up on disbursements as inefficient and outdated.
“To strengthen devolution, the habit of having County finance officers flocking to Nairobi whenever the national government disburses funds must be cured,” he stated, adding that such bottlenecks are an obstacle to the smooth operation of county governments.
The Cabinet Secretary assured the governors that steps were being taken to eliminate these issues, particularly regarding the transfer of funds to the County Revenue Fund (CRF) accounts.
He committed to ensuring that disbursements to counties are more timely and free of bureaucratic delays.
“Once funds have been transferred to the County Revenue Fund (CRF) Account, the subsequent processes must remain seamless and prompt with zero systematic obstructions,” Mbadi emphasized.
In a significant pledge, Mbadi promised that by December 2024, all county disbursements would be up to date, with no pending arrears.
This move, he explained, would facilitate counties in running their daily operations more efficiently, ultimately strengthening devolution.
“Our aim as a government is to fully support devolution and have counties run their day-to-day activities smoothly without any challenges,” he said.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to improving the working relationship between national and county governments in the pursuit of effective and equitable healthcare delivery across the country.
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