Royal Philips last week endorsed the Government of Kenya’s initiative to strengthen the position of primary and community healthcare in Africa. The company will be the first private sector company to be involved in a “Sustainable Development Goal” Partnership in Kenya. This is being done in a bid hasten the attainment of the Government’s goal of “universal health coverage”.
The platform is a unique medium to bring together executive leadership from government, development partners, private sector organizations and civil society to investigate opportunities for accelerating universal access to primary healthcare services in Kenya. There will also be an emphasis on addressing the fallback in human resources, healthcare financing, essential medicines, medical supplies, health information, and the use of technology.
The Government of Kenya is committed to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.
Cabinet Secretary of Health, Hon. Dr. Cleopa Mailu has expressed a willingness to build mutually beneficial partnerships that can help the cause of the SDG partnership.
Philips will assist the platform with immediate effect. One of its first duties will be to provide a common fact-base on primary healthcare by assessing the state of current and future healthcare needs. Philips will leverage its in-depth clinical insights, global innovation capabilities, and its experience to sustainably deliver improved healthcare through partnership with national and county level stakeholders. In addition and to ensure continuity, Philips has also committed support for two years to the establishment of the SDG Healthcare Platform Secretariat.
“You cannot achieve prosperity without quality healthcare, so we are excited to come on board and contribute effectively to the SDG Partnership Platform on Primary Healthcare Transformation,” said Mr. Jasper Westerink, CEO, Philips Africa. “Philips is passionate about healthcare, because more than in any other sector, it has a direct and dramatic positive impact on the quality of people’s lives.
As a key stakeholder in this sector, we are determined to align agendas and incentives that eliminate barriers to healthcare access. No single business, institution or government organization can solve this pressing issue on its own. The SDG Partnership Platform underpins our collective responsibility to ensure we all have access to high quality affordable primary healthcare.”
“The constitution of Kenya guarantees the rights to health as contained under article 43. The Council of Governors of Kenya is looking forward to closely collaborating with the SDG Partnership Platform to help accelerate universal access to primary healthcare in Kenya’s 47 counties through unlocking transformative public-private partnership investments,” said Mrs. Jacqueline Mogeni, CEO, Council of Governors, Kenya.
“We are excited about this ambitious new Partnership Platform. Everyone has a role to play in the delivery of the SDGs and partnering with responsible, innovative businesses such as Philips in that process raises our chances of becoming the first generation to end poverty,” added Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative to Kenya.
Philips has a strong belief in strengthening local healthcare systems as they believe as they believe that it will be vital to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3. Philips has been committed to bringing primary healthcare to Africa for many years now, with Mother and Child Care being their prime focus.
