The 47 County governments will collaborate with the National government in expanding access to quality healthcare in a bid to advance the country’s goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to reduce the financial burden of medical care
The UHC is an important pillar with the aim of transforming the country’s health sector for enhanced service delivery.
Its primary goal is to ensure all Kenyans have access to essential, quality health services from prevention treatment and palliative care without suffering financial hardships or falling into poverty due to out of pocket medical costs.
Mombasa Governor, Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir, who is also the Chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG) Committee on Health said the UHC programme is designed to ensure citizens receive healthcare services regardless of their social status.
Governor Nassir said the CoG will work closely with the National government to deliver UHC, strengthen primary healthcare and accelerate digital transformation.
“National and county governments are joined at the hip on matters of health, since healthcare is not a privilege determined by income or geography, but a constitutional right that must be delivered,” he said.
He said the CoG will work with the National government to ensure that Kenyans regardless of their socio-economic background can access quality healthcare with dignity, fairness and respect.
Nassir said healthcare is not a privilege, but a constitutional right that must be accessible, affordable and dignified for everyone.
He said the devolved governments will support initiatives championed by the national government that seek to reduce the financial burden on medical care.
The coastal county Boss declared the just concluded Kenya Health Summit 2026 held at KICC, under the theme, “Reform Delivered; Health as a Right” as a huge success.
He said the Health Summit 2026 placed mothers, newborns and families at the heart of the national health reform agenda.
The Nairobi Health Summit focused on maternal and newborn health through the EWENE (Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere) initiative, specialized and referral services, the health workforce, access to essential health products and technologies, and local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Nassir said during the Health Summit the devolved units have expressed firm commitments towards making quality healthcare a right for every Kenyan.
“Our focus must now shift decisively from policy promises, to measurable results, functional primary healthcare, sustainable financing, motivated healthcare professionals, reliable medicines and technology that serves every citizen” he said.
He said the counties remain committed to strengthening primary healthcare, protecting the healthcare workforce, expanding specialized services and ensuring that Kenyans can access dignified, affordable and dependable care, regardless of where they live.
“Healthcare is not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it but a fundamental human right,” he said.
Nassir said through EWENE initiative, the devolved governments are turning commitments into action, strengthening maternal and newborn care, expanding specialized and referral services, improving continuous care for sickle cell patients and ensuring that the Social Health Authority (SHA) delivers when families need it most.
He said the CoG Health Committee is contributing to sustainable solutions to addressing high maternal and child mortality rates in the counties.
“The 47 counties remain committed to building responsive health systems where no mother dies while giving life, every newborn is given a fighting chance, and quality specialized care is accessible to all and sundry,” he said.
He said his Administration views healthcare not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it but a fundamental human right.
“Counties are implementing policies to improve skilled birth attendance and access to quality healthcare to reduce the burden of maternal and newborn deaths,” he said.
He further underscored the county governments commitments to strengthening referral systems, improving facility readiness and enhancing accountability in service delivery across the country.
“The devolved governments remain committed to ensuring that every mother and every child has access to safe, quality healthcare and a healthy start to life,” he quipped.
The Mombasa Governor said his Administration in collaboration with the National government is advancing a major investment in Mombasa’s healthcare system.
“Mombasa is among ten counties set to benefit from a Sh4.4 billion grant secured by President William Ruto from the AMSONS Group under the ‘Mama na Mtoto Kwanza’ project.
The ‘Mama na Mtoto Kwanza’ project is a national health initiative backed by a Sh4.4 billion grant from the Amsons Group in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
Nassir said for Mombasa the programme will deliver a specialized 250-bed Level 4 hospital dedicated to maternal and child healthcare, including six ICU beds for critical maternity cases.
“This investment will significantly strengthen our capacity to provide safe deliveries, specialized care and better health outcomes for mothers and children in Mombasa and the wider coast region,” he said.
Nassir said the County government and the M-PESA Foundation are currently building a Sh63.2 million Faraja Cancer Wellness Centre at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.
He said the upcoming cancer centre aims to boost early cancer screening, lower costs, and expand local access to diagnostics and oncology care for residents across the coast region.
“Once complete, the Centre will strengthen cancer prevention, early diagnosis, counselling, treatment support and holistic wellness services for patients across Mombasa and the wider Coast region,” he said.
The Mombasa County last week also opened a Sh50 million State-of-the-Art dedicated pediatric operating room at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH).
Nassir said the solar-powered pediatric theatre project, which has been outfitted with equipment tailored for pediatric surgical care enables safe operations access for vulnerable children.
Health officials described the new fully equipped Kids operating room as a ‘critical milestone’ that will go a long way in supporting life-changing operations every year.
By Hussein Abdullahi
