The Constitution of Kenya 2010 enshrines the right to the highest attainable standard of Health, and further entrenches the principles of service delivery such as efficiency, transparency, accountability and equity. The Government of Kenya is committed to progressively achieve the right to health and further committed to improving access to quality and equitable health care to its citizens. The health sector is pivotal in the realization of vision 2030, and forms part of the social pillar in the vision 2030 developmental agenda.
Provision of equitable health requires huge investment in all components of the Health System. The Kenya Health Policy 2014-2018 provides a framework for investment in health under eight orientation areas, namely, Health Infrastructure, Health Products and Technology and Health Workforce, Health Information, Health Leadership and Governance and Health Research and Development. Scarcity of resources necessitates the need for targeted and cost effective investments in the various orientation areas.
Annual Performance Review has been institutionalized in the Health Sector as part of the accountability cycle. The main aim of the review is to identify progress made in implementation of the planned activities in order to inform decision making. In the year 2014/2015 the reporting of ‘Best Practices’ was included as a crucial component of the Annual Performance Review.
Best Practices in the Health Sector are utilized in achieving objectives in different Health Sector Investment areas. The underlying principle of their utility is in their proven superiority in achieving results without using inordinate resources compared to common or usual practice and replicating the solutions adapted to similar health problems in other situations and contexts. The Health Sector has developed criteria for selection of Best Practices governed by various attributes of the best practice such as efficiency, cost- effectiveness, community involvement, sustainability and possibility of duplication. This report provides a comprehensive view of the Best Practice selection process and methodology in the sector. Both National and County Best Practices are described and the immediate impact of the various interventions in the provision of quality Health Care to Kenyans.
It is my sincere hope that all actors in Health shall rally behind the reporting and utilization of Best Practices to activate knowledge sharing mechanism, and to maximally utilize practical lessons in the health sector as effective tools to provide equitable, affordable and quality health care. I further encourage the sector players to consider the implementation and replication of best practices in different areas in the country.