PS Raymond Omollo: Why Universal Health Coverage Is Non-Negotiable

Speaking in a grassroot meeting between county leaders and local residents in Homabay County, the Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo delivered a special message.

This message has echoed across Kenya’s health transformation agenda: universal healthcare isn’t a luxury – it’s a right.

At the heart of his speech was a stark reminder that illness doesn’t wait for payday.

“You never decide when to get sick,” he stated plainly. “Each of us will fall sick at one point or another.”

And it is from this truth that the government’s ambitious Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program – Taifa Care – was born.

Now eight months in, the PS challenged Kenyans to speak louder, but this time with affirmation: to acknowledge a program that is already changing lives across counties.

Health, he reminded the crowd, is the foundation of all productivity – without it, everything else grinds to a halt.

But, the road to full national coverage is far from over.

In Homa Bay, for example, only 44% of the population is registered under the new health scheme, a figure Dr. Omollo finds both encouraging and troubling.

“Ranked number 13 nationally isn’t bad,” he admitted, “but, we can do better.”

In that regard, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Homabay County government, is mobilizing a massive recruitment drive to bring more residents on board.

And this drive isn’t just about signing up for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

It is about safeguarding lives during emergencies, enabling access to free primary care, and strengthening health facilities across the region.

“How can the government pay for your emergency treatment if you’re not registered?” He posed.

Worse still, some local facilities remain unregistered with the Ministry of Health, limiting their ability to access national support like the Facility Improvement Fund.

“It can’t be that other counties are benefiting while ours lags behind because of misinformation,” he cautioned.

Dr. Omollo also made a passionate appeal to community health promoters and local leaders:

“Let’s work together.”

The new system isn’t about politics or personalities – it’s about shielding families from being bankrupted by hospital bills, from selling off land and livestock to save loved ones.

The days of endless medical Harambee drives on WhatsApp should become a thing of the past.

Because true development begins with healthy people. And this time, no Kenyan should be left behind.