The Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure and Mortality Level in Kenya

Health sector is one of the key sectors in any economy; this is so because for any healthy nation there is productivity which will have a ripple effect in terms of economic growth. In most developing countries, Kenya being one, health forms a background for economic development and economic growth. However, health financing in these countries is devastating both at the government level and the household level which leads to inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the health sector. The objectives of health financing is to make funding available, as well as to set the right financial incentives to providers, to ensure that all individuals have access to effective public health and personal health care. The book asserts that Kenya's healthcare financing has developed over the years into a mixed healthcare financing and comprises of the following main components: general tax financing, NHIF, employer self-funded schemes, community based health financing, out of pocket health spending, development partners and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private health insurance.

Autorentext

Martine Odhiambo Oleche is a Senior Lecturer and the Chairman of the Department of Economics and Development Studies (DEDS), University of Nairobi, where he has worked for over 15 years. He is a holder of Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Economics from the University of Nairobi and specializes in Health, Labour and Development Economics.