Nakuru County has signed an agreement with Thinkwell Kenya Limited, a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-supported organization, to explore ways of financing the provision of health services and improving the performance of public health facilities.

The three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a cost of Kshs 30 million will help the county to develop a better health financing system and identify ways to raise new revenues to improve the provision of Primary Healthcare (PHC) services.

The partnership will focus on evaluating health financing systems in the county and finding ways to improve the existing revenue streams.

Thinkwell Kenya will seek to strengthen Nakuru County health financing, including increasing fiscal space for PHC, evaluating the supply chain management of drugs and medical equipment, assessing payment modalities for PHC services using National Health Insurance Funds (NHIF) in Level 2 and Level 3 Hospitals, rationalizing staff deployment based on workload, and instituting evidence-driven planning and budgeting at all levels.

Speaking after signing the MoU at the County Headquarters, Governor Susan Kihika said the partnership with Thinkwell Kenya would help craft a health system that could cushion county residents from costly health services and maximize available resources to deliver quality and affordable healthcare services.

Dr. Ann Mususva, Thinkwell’s Regional Director for East Africa, explained that the project aimed to create more fiscal space to support healthcare, evaluate and improve how Nakuru participates in NHIF, and rationalize staff to achieve optimum performance. She added that experts would be deployed to carry out evaluations in individual hospitals and come up with recommendations to help the county perform better within the allocations made towards healthcare.

The project, which is part of the strategic purchasing for primary healthcare initiative, will be implemented in ten counties in Kenya with support from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The initiative aims to improve how governments purchase primary health care services to ensure optimum health outcomes.

President William Ruto has instructed several ministries to allocate 30 percent of their vacancies to National Youth Service (NYS) servicemen and women. The move is aimed at encouraging young Kenyans to join the national service and increase productivity.

During the NYS recruits passing out parade in Gilgil, Nakuru County, President Ruto praised the sector’s role in nurturing talent among the youth. He said that the government will continue to support the youth’s development and encourage them to join the NYS.

President Ruto also announced plans to double the number of NYS intakes, increasing the annual intake from 10,000 to 20,000 youths. He called for the broadening of the pipeline of qualified youths into public and private sectors as well as self-employment.

The President also directed the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation to construct at least 100 dams and water pans annually. He said the move is aimed at enriching education, training, and skill development while utilizing the construction plant, machinery, and equipment.

Furthermore, President Ruto commended NYS for its plans to put 720 acres of land under irrigation to support maize, potato, and soya bean seed production and multiplication. He urged NYS to impart training in vital fields such as aeroponics, climate-smart agriculture, and research to ensure that the new venture succeeds without exerting inordinate budgetary pressure.

The President also expressed his satisfaction that the service was going to play a significant role in the national tree planting campaign by growing one billion trees on 40,000 acres over the next five years.

Public Service and Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa applauded NYS for empowering the youth in skills development. She said that the service has aligned its activities with the Kenya Kwanza development, especially in agriculture, housing, and infrastructure, among others.

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika praised NYS’s role in the economic transformation of the country. She said that NYS equipment has significantly helped in the improvement of roads and provision of water in rural areas.