- Hannah Ngundo argues that the government’s efforts to expand access to education should be matched by greater investment in healthcare.
- The Laikipia University student says hospitals need adequate staffing, medicines, technology and stronger health insurance coverage.
- She maintains that investing equally in education and healthcare is essential to building a healthier and more productive nation.
The recent announcement by the government that it plans to fully support students admitted to public universities, colleges and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, regardless of their families’ financial backgrounds, is laudable.
President William Ruto has indicated that the proposed universal funding model will guarantee government support for students pursuing higher education. For a long time, access to education has remained a challenge for many Kenyan families, and this initiative offers hope to thousands of learners.
However, while these efforts in education are commendable, we cannot overlook the challenges facing the healthcare sector.
The same level of commitment should be extended to healthcare. Kenya continues to face a significant HIV burden, while diseases such as tuberculosis continue to demand sustained investment in healthcare services, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
There have also been concerns over the quality of some medicines and diagnostic products entering the Kenyan market. At the same time, healthcare workers have repeatedly raised concerns over working conditions, remuneration, staffing and other challenges affecting service delivery.
Access to quality healthcare should be treated as a national priority.
The government should support healthcare workers with adequate resources and modern technology. It should increase funding to the health sector so that hospitals have sufficient medicines and essential supplies.
More doctors, nurses, clinical officers and laboratory personnel should also be employed to address persistent staff shortages and improve services to patients.
Strengthen health insurance and hospitals
The Social Health Authority (SHA) should be strengthened to ensure more Kenyans can access affordable and reliable healthcare services.
Hospitals should be adequately equipped and upgraded, while investment in disease prevention through vaccination and other disease-control programmes should be enhanced.
Accountability and transparency are equally important. Public resources allocated to healthcare must reach hospitals and patients and be used for their intended purposes.
A strong healthcare system requires not only increased funding but also prudent management of available resources.
Education and health must go together
Just as the government seeks to expand access to higher education, it should demonstrate similar commitment to healthcare.
Every Kenyan deserves access to quality education and healthcare regardless of their economic circumstances.
Investing in both sectors will help Kenya build a healthier, better educated, more productive and prosperous nation. Education empowers people to improve their lives, while good healthcare ensures they are healthy enough to pursue those opportunities.
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Kenya cannot achieve sustainable development by prioritising one while neglecting the other. Education and healthcare must therefore remain at the centre of the country’s
By Hannah Ngundo
Hannah Ngundo is a student at Laikipia University.
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