President Uhuru Kenyatta has said that the government is working on consolidating Kenya’s position as a regional healthcare hub.
Speaking during an opening of Kenya Healthcare Convention at the Sarit Center, Kenyatta said that Kenya already attracts patients from Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, D. R. Congo, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Nigeria.
“Kenya’s position as a regional resource for high-quality healthcare is a huge advantage that needs to be leveraged further, ” said Kenyatta.
He said the close cooperation between the two sectors has enabled the country to extend crucial services to hard to reach regions of the country.
He further urged Health CS Mutahi Kagwe to ensure that UHC is rolled out to the rest of the country following the program’s success in the four pilot counties.
Over 10,000 Kenyans travel abroad to seek specialized medical services which has cost the economy in excess of Shs 10 billion every year.
Further, the President noted that Africa spends an average of Sh380 billion on specialized medical treatment abroad, an amount he said Kenya needs to tap.
