President William Ruto has announced plans to convene a national health summit within the next month to address persistent challenges in the healthcare sector and ensure increased budget allocations translate into better services for Kenyans.
Speaking on Tuesday at State House, Nairobi, after assenting to the Finance Act 2026 and the Appropriation Act 2026, the President said the summit will focus on improving access to healthcare and ensuring resources allocated to the sector deliver tangible results.
“I will convene a health summit within the next one month to ensure that we fully realise the benefits of these resources and translate them into better services and equal services for all the people,” Ruto said.
The President announced that the government has allocated Sh13.7 billion to support all 107,000 Community Health Promoters across the country by providing them with working tools and covering their Social Health Authority (SHA) contributions.
He described community health promoters as the backbone of healthcare delivery at the grassroots, noting that they continue to serve households in villages and towns across the country.
Ruto also said funding for healthcare supplies under the Social Health Authority has been increased by Sh5 billion, rising from Sh21 billion to Sh26 billion.
The additional allocation, he said, is intended to improve the availability of medicines and strengthen service delivery in public health facilities.
“There should be no shortage of essential medicine,” the President said.
“Let me say this for the avoidance of any doubt. With this provision, I am asking all counties to make sure medicine is available in every health facility.”
The Head of State said the health allocations form part of a broader budget framework aimed at strengthening livelihoods, creating jobs and improving public services under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
He noted that the government remains committed to supporting ordinary Kenyans, including farmers, boda boda riders, traders, workers, entrepreneurs and students.
According to the President, the 2026/27 budget reflects the government's priorities in healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, youth empowerment and social protection.
He said Kenya now has both the legal framework and financial resources required to implement key development programmes following the enactment of the Finance Act 2026 and the Appropriation Act 2026.
Ruto said the upcoming health summit will bring together relevant stakeholders to review challenges facing the sector and identify practical solutions to improve healthcare delivery across the country.
