WOMEN'S ROLE IN ADVANCING PREVENTIVE HEALTHCARE FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE IN AFRICA: A COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION OF KENYA'S UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE

Abstract

This paper explores the pivotal role of women in advancing preventive healthcare for the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Africa. Despite the global emphasis on UHC, the predominant attention has been on curative healthcare, neglecting crucial preventive measures. The study investigates resource mobilization methods for preventive healthcare, assesses the current state of UHC in Kenya, and identifies challenges in meeting the conditions for UHC. The literature review underscores the significance of UHC, incorporating preventive and curative care, while emphasizing the need for equitable access to quality services. Women's involvement in addressing nutritional challenges, ensuring proper sanitation, and contributing to resource mobilization efforts for successful UHC is highlighted. Challenges in health financing policies, resource allocation, and service delivery inefficiencies are discussed. Findings reveal the importance of preventive healthcare in achieving UHC efficiency, coupled with challenges in health financing policies and service delivery inefficiencies. Women play a crucial role in promoting preventive healthcare, especially in addressing nutritional challenges and ensuring proper sanitation. The study also uncovers challenges and gaps in the current healthcare approach. The paper concludes by recommending advancements in preventive healthcare to reduce disease prevalence and ensure UHC efficiency. It highlights the importance of collecting sex-segregated data for informed and gender-sensitive management in UHC. Recommendations extend to targeted interventions in health financing policies, resource allocation, and service delivery mechanism directions is recommended for studies on the role of women in preventive healthcare to advocate for continuous monitoring and adjustment of health financing policies and resource allocation strategies and enhance UHC efficiency. This comprehensive exploration provides insights for policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and researchers aiming to strengthen UHC in Africa.