In 2018, 60-year-old James Kimeu Mulei suffered a badly broken ankle that left him unable to walk after a violent attack. A few years previously, this story could well have ended with a permanent injury that restricted Mulei’s ability to work and live a full life. 

But thanks to a universal health coverage programme that the Kenyan government began to pilot in Mulei’s home county of Makueni that same year, he instead had access to affordable health insurance and was soon on the road to recovery.

“I am happy that even in old age, I can seek treatment at no cost. I feel valued when I know that I do not have to worry about treatment costs when I go to hospital.” – Joel Kioko Wambua, universal health coverage beneficiary.

Through the new scheme, households pay a $US 5 annual fee for access to health care services, with any other fees at local and secondary level health facilities waived. This has widely expanded access to health services, with over 1.6 million more hospital visits recorded within the first year of the pilot alone.

“Thanks to my new insurance card, all my tests and drugs were waived,” Mulei says. “This has greatly helped me to get better health care.”

Kenya has since expanded the programme to cover all 47 of the country’s counties. In doing so, it has it has also added more than 200 community health units, with 7700 community health volunteers and over 700 health workers recruited. Additionally, the national government allocated funds for the past financial year to cover the health insurance of one million households across these counties.

90-year-old Joel Kioko Wambua, another beneficiary of the programme in Makueni county, says, “I am happy that even in old age, I can seek treatment at no cost. I feel valued when I know that I do not have to worry about treatment costs when I go to hospital.”

Across the African Region, a number of countries have been developing their own approaches to universal health coverage. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been working with these countries to assess their current models and develop priorities as well as roadmaps for moving towards universal health coverage. 

“Only when countries ensure equitable access to, and full utilization of, quality health care services will they be able to meet their health and development goals,” says Dr Humphrey Karamagi, Sustainable Development Goal Coordinator at WHO’s Regional Office for Africa. “Kenya has taken significant steps towards ensuring everyone is getting the services they need everywhere and every time.”