Deborah Mlongo Barasa

Deborah Mlongo Barasa is a Kenyan consultant internist, infectious diseases expert and politician. She is the current cabinet secretary of health in the cabinet of Kenya, effective August 2024. Prior to that, she was an infectious diseases consultant at the World Health Organization, based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Quotes

• I am pleased to note that with support from the Global Fund and other partners, 1,336,234 Kenyans are currently receiving life-saving antiretroviral therapy, and our TB treatment success rate has risen to 86%. Additionally, we have recorded a significant drop in malaria prevalence from 8.2% in 2015 to 6% in 2023.
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• Kenya has made remarkable strides in reducing HIV infections, HIV-related deaths, and mother-to-child transmission rates, thanks to the support from the Global Fund and other development partners.
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• The Fund has played a crucial role in supplementing the government’s efforts to combat these diseases while also strengthening the country’s health service delivery.
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• The government is committed to ensuring that all Kenyans have access to quality healthcare services.
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• The importance of recent legislations is noted, including the Social Health Insurance Act 2023 and the Digital Health Act 2023, which are pivotal for transitioning from NHIF to the Social Health Authority (SHA). The SHA, created under the Social Health Insurance Act, will replace the NHIF claims management system and manage a comprehensive health benefit package. This package includes preventive, curative, palliative, and rehabilitation services, ensuring equitable access for all Kenyans.
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• The Health Provider Portal, a component of the “Digital Health Superhighway,” aims to improve healthcare delivery and manage health products more effectively. With over one million households already registered, efforts are being intensified to achieve complete public registration by the October 1, 2024, launch.
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