The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) – Nyanza Region has condemned the Social Health Authority (SHA) for excluding Clinical Officers from its empanelment scheme, calling it unlawful and a threat to Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, in Kisumu, KUCO National Deputy General Secretary Austin Oduor Otieno labeled the move a blatant violation of the Clinical Officers Act, 2017.
“The Clinical Officers Act gives the Clinical Officers Council (COC) the exclusive mandate to register, license, and regulate healthcare facilities run by Clinical Officers. Excluding these facilities from the SHA scheme is illegal and a direct attack on millions of Kenyans who depend on Clinical Officers for healthcare,” Oduor stated.
He emphasized that Clinical Officers are responsible for over 80% of specialized healthcare services, especially in underserved rural and peri-urban areas.
Threat to Private Clinics and UHC
Oduor noted that 60% of Kenya’s private healthcare facilities are owned by Clinical Officers, bridging critical gaps left by overwhelmed public health facilities.
“Without empanelment, these facilities face closure, jeopardizing access to care for millions of Kenyans and crippling the UHC agenda,” he warned.
KUCO also criticized SHA’s exclusion of Clinical Officer Specialists from the pre-authorization process, terming it discriminatory and detrimental to timely patient care.
Call for Action
The KUCO leadership demanded immediate inclusion of all Clinical Officer-managed facilities in the SHA empanelment and pre-authorization system, urging the government to respect the Clinical Officers Council’s regulatory authority.
“We call on President William Ruto to intervene and safeguard his flagship UHC agenda. The SHA must follow the law,” Oduor urged.
KUCO further called on the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Deborah Mulongo, to publicly affirm the inclusion of Clinical Officers, and on the Office of the Attorney General to address SHA’s legal breaches.
Warning of Consequences
If their demands are unmet, KUCO has vowed to take further action, including legal redress, mass protests, and work stoppages.
“Clinical Officers are the backbone of Kenya’s healthcare system. Excluding them is illegal, reckless, and a disservice to Kenyans. Without Clinical Officers, healthcare will collapse,” Oduor concluded.
