Theorizing Innovative Information Package for Money Markets Differentiated Populations for Sustainable Financing of Universal Health Coverage in Kenya

Authors:  Philip Bill Okaka, MDS, PhDc (Development Studies) – Social and Behaviour Change Communication Specialist. [email protected] and Linah Okoth, MBA - Data Analytics Specialist [email protected] 

Background:

The National AIDS Control Council September 2018 Issue Paper on Kenya National Health Financing Domestic Resource Mobilization for Health, with reference to sustainability plan for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) delivery for Kenya, intended to stimulate action by demonstrating that the process towards achieving UHC in Kenya requires commitments by (i) the government in expanding domestic resources, (ii) effective development partners assistance (iii) equitable and quality health services, and (iv) increased financial protection. Of the four financing action areas, only the development partners have committed substantial amounts for the UHC four pilot counties, namely, Isiolo, Kisumu, Machakos and Nyeri, which has both rural and urban settings. However, major development partners (like USAID-PEPFAR) are progressively reducing funding to important health indices, raising concerns on sustainable funding for UHC in a fluid money market; hence, by large, threatens the achievement of SDG Number 3 on good health and well being. A financially sustained UHC would promisingly contribute to the delivery of SDG Number 3 targets (specifically, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 and 3.7) by 2030 in Kenya.

Theoretical Approach:

This theoretical thought process applies the BOLO-Scale[1] which uses: (i) determined Differentiated Populations (DPs) financial transition in money market (disposable income), (ii) the Location Shift (LS), and (iii) the Anticipated Response-to-Act Level (ARAL), to triangulate points of directions for the hypothesis that accurate packaging of development communication information will boost internal financing for both the Rich and Poor to sustainably access and utilize promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services. As illustrated in Figure 1, the DP measurement points are the rich (industrial producers), the new poor (former middle class), borderline poor (the emerging middle class), and the poor-poor (those in abject poverty). The ARAL measurement points are leadership and governance (the will to call for accountability), data demand (the will to learn), and coordination and networking (the will to mobilize). The LS measurement points are no movement (no rural to urban and vice versa, and no internal or external shifts), rural to urban, and urban to rural. This theoretical approach applies the ARAL on DPs financial transition, which is, the seasoned ability and inability to produce and reproduce within the money market, against a communication plan for sustainable financing of UHC.

Hypothetical findings:

The BOLO-Scale can consistently determine the best fit set of DPs that if reached with financing information options can work in pragmatic partnership towards sustainability of UHC and by large SDG number 3. However, more tests are required to increase the reliability of BOLO-Scale to determine its effect on supporting the development and dissemination of information for sustainable financing of other SDGs.

[1] BOLO-Scale = named after the thought leaders Bill Okaka and Linah Okoth.