Uhuru's Call to Arms on Self-Sufficiency Carries Health Risks

[Omollo]

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I tried to have a debate about this at the other place but as you know, ideas don't flow over there.

Who Pays for Progress?, looks at the balance between Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Domestic Resource Mobilisation (DRM) such as tax, and will be launched in July. The data so far suggests it would be a major challenge to move away from aid in the health sector, and also difficult in other areas, such as education.

This July, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia hosts the UN's Financing for Development conference, where member states will discuss how to pay for the ambitious plans laid out in the sustainable development goals

Of the overall health budget, 45% is currently provided by donors and 55% by the Kenyan state. In some programmes, the dependency on ODA is even greater. In a series of interviews in March 2015, we learned that the HIV and Aids programmes are funded 70% by donors, and work on nutrition is around 80% funded from ODA.Kenya had around 8,700 dollar millionaires in 2014

[RV Pundit]

I agree largely with Uhuru. As much as we need help, we should NEVER budget for that help. Any form of AID should never appear in our budget. You cannot budget for donations.

The health sector can survive with our own taxes. It only sector where we still allow donors to dominate. But what health budget..a minuscule less than 50b...that is not even 5% of our total budget.We need to think about serious national health insurance that will entail reforming NHIF.

[Georgesoros]

The education sector has gone to the dogs. We used to have a first class public primary education, but its been underfunded for over 20yrs and deteriorating. Soon we will need donor funding.

[MOON Ki]

The health sector can survive with our own taxes. It only sector where we still allow donors to dominate. But what health budget..a minuscule less than 50b...that is not even 5% of our total budget.We need to think about serious national health insurance that will entail reforming NHIF.

I don't see that as a helpful way of looking at it: 

First, the government can afford to spend little on health precisely because "donors" are doing plenty of heavy lifting all over the place.   In order to be really free of "donors", it would be necessary to then make up for that "donor money".

Second, the taxes are not even enough to make up for the shortfall as things currently stand:   It had never occurred to anyone in Kenya to track private spending on health until USAID proposed it.   There is now a USAID supported project that does that, and the results are shocking: "out-of-pocket" expenses on health are a huge burden and especially on the poor.   

[RV Pundit]

On matter principles and based on our 90s experience we should never budget for any donation in critical area like health; We have the ability in 2 trillion or 20b usd budget to finance the health sector including hiv aids, tb and name it. We just have to see remove wastage going to NYC and put in health.
Any extra donation from USAID should go towards non-critical areas. Right now we are giving every orphan, elderly,disabled, street kid some 2,000 to 5,000 shs a month..good start in starting national welfare system...why can't we do the same for health.
There is need to find Ngilu proposal and find a workable formulae.
There is a lot that is happening now...after gov started insuring police,aps,teachers and civil servants....now I see hospitals cropping up everywhere..private hospitals that are surviving from capitation from gov.
If NHIF was to be reformed..and for each citizen who is insured....a capitation fee is paid to hospitals..be it private or public..health services in this country will improve.

As much as we need help; we should never become helpless or at mercy of USAID or WB.

Gov is working on free education by 2017 upto high school level....if we had followed WB....we would be in a mess. The same need to happen in health.

Kenya can afford universal health care systems that is really working. If Cuba can afford it..we can afford it.

After which we should expland the national social welfare to include those that are genuinely jobless and desperate.

I don't see that as a helpful way of looking at it: 

First, the government can afford to spend little on health precisely because "donors" are doing plenty of heavy lifting all over the place.   In order to be really free of "donors", it would be necessary to then make up for that "donor money".

Second, the taxes are not even enough to make up for the shortfall as things currently stand:   It had never occurred to anyone in Kenya to track private spending on health until USAID proposed it.   There is now a USAID supported project that does that, and the results are shocking: "out-of-pocket" expenses on health are a huge burden and especially on the poor.   

[RV Pundit]

NHIF is on the right track here despite unions opposing them. 4.5m with their dependants covered for both in-patient and out-patient is good start towards a universal health system. The hospitals are also assured of regular income thanks to capitation.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Contributors-to-wait-till-June-for-NHIF-s-enhanced-benefits/-/539546/2706430/-/673ayh/-/index.html