The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has signed a bilateral agreement implementation plan to address health challenges and enhance healthcare service delivery.
The implementation plan (letter) serves as a framework for cooperation and establishes a mutual understanding and agreement, defining the roles, responsibilities and commitments of each party involved to advance improvement in the lives, health, and wellness of the Kenyan People.
Speaking during the USAID/ MOH Bilateral Agreement Implementation Plan, Public Health and Professional Standards PS Mary Muthoni Muriuki said the USAID and the Ministry of Health have for a long time closely collaborated to address key strategic areas of development, among them health, agriculture, governance and democracy, education, security and peace building, infrastructure development, and trade.
“We have had this cooperation many times, we had it in 2018 and today we are developing a framework to help us move forward and do better as we extend the same up to 2028,” she said.
Muriuki reiterated the commitment of the Kenyan government to work together and support this partnership, while keeping in mind the need for the government to facilitate special covenants, such as tax exemption, coordination and accountability, and the implementation and monitoring/evaluation framework.
On his part, Medical Services PS Harry Kimtai said that the Framework is set to focus on the key primary areas in the next 5 years.
“We have always had the challenge of how we are going to implement some of these priority areas, where we have implementing partners, the National and County government, so this implementation letter is going to guide us,” he said.
Kimtai said that the technical teams of both parties have been working very closely to identify those areas so that the partnership can help achieve the programs in the shortest time possible.
The Medical Services PS emphasized that they are working to make sure that the development partners focus and pick the development agendas that align with the governments.
“Once we conclude this meeting we are going to get a draft letter that shall be taken to the National Treasury to be signed by both The United States Government and The Kenyan Government to ensure the flow of funds from our development partners,” Kimtai added.
While addressing the media, Kimtai pointed out how the Ministry is also working to ensure there is enough medical equipment in the counties.
“The government has been implementing Managed Equipment Systems where vendors supply equipment and the counties have been buying the consumables, the program came to an end early this year and we have agreed with the county government that we shall extend that contract for another one year,” Kimtai said.
We have also directed the suppliers to service the equipment as the County Governments identify the faulty equipment.
He said that once the Ministry signed the Implementing Partnership Agreement with the counties, there has been progress to engage with the vendors to continue supplying and servicing the equipment.
“Moving forward we are going to have most of our health centers have that basic medical equipment and access the services at a lower cost,” Kimtai assured.
By Fatuma Said
