Kenya is scaling up its primary health care system with a sweeping initiative designed to put prevention and community care at the center of health services. With millions already registered on a digital platform and hundreds of primary care networks rolled out, the country is laying the foundation for a stronger, more sustainable health system by 2028.
Highlights:
- 8.8 million households already captured on the electronic Community Health Information System.
- 228 Primary Care Networks established across all 47 counties.
- Reforms anchored on four key health laws, including the Digital Health Act.
- Goal: a prevention-first, financially sustainable, people-centred health system by 2028.
Main Story:
Kenya’s Ministry of Health, in partnership with Amref Health Africa and other organizations, is pushing forward with the Primary Health Care Optimization Initiative. The program builds on years of investment in community health workers and digital tools to make health care more accessible and efficient at the grassroots level.
So far, 8.8 million households have been registered on the electronic Community Health Information System. This platform allows early screening for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and maternal or child health concerns, bringing care closer to ordinary Kenyans.
Additionally, 228 Primary Care Networks have been set up across all 47 counties, creating a structured way to link community health units to local facilities and referral hospitals.
Anchored on New Health Laws
Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, told stakeholders that the initiative is anchored on four key pieces of legislation: the Social Health Authority Act, the Primary Health Care Act, the Facility Improvement Financing Act, and the Digital Health Act.
“These reforms are about shifting from dependency to sustainability,” she said, stressing that communities must be engaged as active partners in their own health.
By 2028, the vision is to create a prevention-first, people-centred, and financially sustainable health system where Kenyans don’t just seek treatment when sick but also take part in proactive health care practices.
Health care is trongest when communities are not just patients but partners in shaping their own well-being.
