Repositioning Public Health Officers in Kenya’s Devolved Health System: A Policy Analysis to Strengthen Primary Health Care and Advance Universal Health Coverage

Abstract

Health systems in low- and middle-income countries are prioritizing primary health care (PHC) to advance universal health coverage (UHC) and health security. In Kenya, devolution has restructured governance and service delivery, creating both opportunities and coordination challenges. Within this context, Public Health Officers (PHOs)—key to environmental health, disease prevention, and health promotion—remain insufficiently defined and underutilized. This study examines the policy and institutional factors shaping the positioning of PHOs in Kenya’s devolved health system