Govt Sets Strict Timeline for County Salaries Amid Persistent Delays
The Kenyan government has unveiled a series of directives aimed at tackling the long-standing issue of delayed salaries for county workers, while simultaneously introducing measures to enhance access to primary healthcare services.
According to the communique released following the 12th Ordinary Session of the National and County Governments Coordinating Summit held on Wednesday, December 10, the National Treasury is now mandated to release all personnel-related funds to county governments earlier in the month.
“The National Treasury shall disburse by the third day of every month all the related personnel emolument costs for all the county governments to the respective County Revenue Fund Account (CRF),” the summit report read.
In addition, the summit called on the Controller of Budget and county administrations to expedite the processing of these funds.
“The Controller of Budget shall expedite approval of releases to county governments. Subsequently, the County governments shall ensure that all the statutory deductions are paid out by the ninth day of every month,” the report added.
The summit also highlighted the government’s focus on improving maternal and primary healthcare services, directing the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors to develop a framework for maternity services in level two and three health facilities by the second week of January.
“The Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors shall by the second week of January develop a framework for provision of maternity services at level two and three health facilities,” the report stated.
The financing of these services will be integrated into the country’s new health insurance framework, with charges managed under the Primary Health Care Fund (PHCF) through the Social Health Authority (SHA).
“In the immediate and subsequently, the associated charges shall be charged on the Primary Health Care Fund (PHCF) under the Social Health Authority (SHA) legal infrastructure,” the communique further read.
Addressing concerns over delayed payments to Community Health Promoters (CHPs), who are pivotal to Kenya’s primary healthcare system, the summit stressed that all stipends would be promptly paid. The CHPs will also be covered under SHA insurance, co-financed by both national and county governments.
“All stipends for the Community Health Promoters (CHPs) shall be promptly paid. Additionally, the CHPs shall be covered under the SHA insurance cover co-financed by the two levels of government on a 50-50 basis amounting to Ksh330 per CHP for each level of government,” the report confirmed.
The announcement comes shortly after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed that the Kenya-U.S. health cooperation framework will run until 2030, after which the Kenyan government will assume full control.
In an interview on Tuesday, December 9, Duale explained that the five-year agreement is designed to strengthen the country’s healthcare system and integrate critical disease programmes into SHA.
“The signed Kenya-U.S. health cooperation framework is for 5 years, up to 2030. After 2030, the Kenya government will take over the whole programme. The goal is to build a more resilient healthcare system. HIV, malaria, TB will be integrated into SHA at the primary care level,” he said.
Duale further emphasized that the partnership supports Kenya’s ongoing budgetary efforts to invest in citizens’ health.
“We have a constitutional and moral duty to make sure that we take care of the health of our citizens. This deal is part of what we are budgeting and allocating for; it is reinforcing it. If we put the Ksh10 billion, Ksh20 billion, Ksh35 billion and we put the Ksh50 billion and we work with the Ksh210 billion that we are getting from the US, by 2030, the Kenya healthcare system will be resilient and sustainable,” he stated.
He also clarified that the agreement fully respects Kenyan law, particularly on issues of data sharing, and outlined the exit provisions.
“This agreement, particularly the data sharing, is anchored in our laws. In the event there is a conflict between the two laws of these two countries, the Kenyan law supersedes. In the event that either participants want to walk out of this agreement, it will give the other six months in writing so that they can call it a day,” Duale explained.
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Govt Sets Strict Timeline for County Salaries Amid Persistent Delays