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County Health

Delivering the health promise , towards a healthy nation

Mothers waiting for consultation at a health clinic
Most people would agree with the idea that all individuals should have access to health services and should not face financial hardship as a result of health care costs . Universal health coverage ( UHC ), the concept that encompasses these goals , has gained wide attention and support in recent years .
The goals of universal health coverage ( UHC ) are to ensure that all people can access quality health services , to safeguard all people from public health risks , and to protect all people from impoverishment due to illness , whether from out-of-pocket payments for health
care or loss of income when a household member falls sick .
Countries as diverse as Brazil , France , Japan , Thailand , and Turkey that have achieved UHC are showing how these programs can serve as vital mechanisms for improving the health and welfare of their citizens , and lay the foundation for economic growth and competitiveness grounded in the principles of equity and sustainability . Ensuring universal access to affordable , quality health services will be an important contribution to ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity in low income and middle-income countries , where most of the world ’ s poor live
Four years ago the Government of Kenya focused public attention on the need for health system reform — to improve access to health facilities , increase the number of facilities and equipment , provide free maternity services , combat and manage major causes of illness in mothers and children , utilize ICT to enhance health service delivery and accelerate attainment of Universal Health Coverage ( UHC ) through reforms in NHIF .
52 November-December 2016