| Health Care in Kenya |
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Volunteers at Nairobi Womens Hospital
The beginning of the first quarter of this century has shown dramatic improvement in Health care sector in Africa. The quality and number of health care institutions and providers has remarkably increased. This is a laudable development and a frank fulfillment of Alma Ata declaration of 1978.
However, it appears these improvements have had very little or no impact on Africa’s fundamental health care problems of access and affordability. Unlike most western nations, great majority of African populations leave in rural areas. It is no surprise that Kenya has a similar population distribution as the rest of the continent.
In Kenya, where Health care is a mix of socialized and private systems, close to 50 % (85% rural) of the populations have no access to Health care according to a WHO report.
The recent development is an indication that the continent and Kenya in particular has the potential to improve access and affordability of health care services and medicines. To unlock these potentials, Kenya needs the development of efficient institutional framework, policies and standards of practice across the board within Health care sector. It also needs a new generation of Health care leaders.
Currently, health care resources are limited to urban centers and specifically more affluent areas (see WHO report). |
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Alma Ata declaration of 1978 (Declares; availability of Primary health care world wide) has relatively worked in Kenya but only in the context of building hospitals and dispensaries without regard to quality, access and service provision. These declaration is in every sense obsolete, ambiguous and has no place in today’s challenges in health care. So, its adherence does not make much of a difference.
Instead, health care awareness, activism and advocacy at the grassroots and national level is needed to push the government to fully embrace head on the intractable fundamental challenges of access and affordability.
The GCG advocates for quality assurance processes, affordability, equity and access to health care throughout Kenya. |
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GCG works with Health care professionals, organizations, Health care institutions, Government institutions, human right groups and volunteers to promote Health and Health care services. |
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We believe diseases like Malaria and Tuberculosis, prevalent in Africa can be eradicated or at the least minimized.
The establishment, execution and delivery of a comprehensive Health care reform emphasizing quality, equity, affordability and access is the mainstay to the realization of Health care that is capable of meeting today's challenges. Western nations have practically eliminated killer diseases common in Africa. Some of these diseases include Tuberculosis (TB), Malaria, Diarrohoeal diseases, malnutrition,immunizable diseases and maternal/infant mortalities. The same must be done for Africa and other developing nations afflicted by these diseases. |
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The very basic steps towards forging improved Health Care in Countries of Africa are but not limited to: |
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I. Policy makers must recognize, acknowledge and act to find lasting solutions for the perpetual Health care crisis in their countries.Upon this acknowledgement, pursuing progressive Health care policies that are practical to the needs of the constituents. Re-evaluation and reformation of existing policies to match today's complex and challenging Health care is the core |
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II. Leaders in Health Care, professional associations, Health Boards and Health Care companies to take a leading role in initiatives that increase access, quality and equity. On the same note, they must be able to establish health advisory council independent from government that works collaboratively with policy makers. Such Council will create a Health Care reform blueprint with support and input from both public and private Health Care sectors. The Council and sponsoring policy makers will ensure that such policies are passed, implemented and delivered. |
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III. Human Right organizations must recognize that equity, access and quality of health care is basic human right and must take initiatives that will harness just distribution, fair and favorable policies and practically implementable processes. |
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IV. Humanitarian Organizations involved in Health Care, WHO (World Health Org.) and UN (United Nations), to continue supporting locally made policies and initiatives that are practical to the cultural and social realities of the people. |
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| Travellers Links - Resources |
| Kenya Health Profile by WHO |
| Ministry of Health - Kenya |
| Kenya Travel Health guide |
| Health Info for Travellers to Kenya |
| CDC Travel Guide for Kenya |
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| Health Related Links |
| Health Care in Africa - Who benefits? |
| Health Care in Africa - options to improve |
| Health Care in Africa - Future |
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| ACCESS TO HEALTH |
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On the table: whereas Central region has a total 190 doctors and a doctor-patient ratio of 1:20,715 , North Eastern region has only 9 doctors with a ratio of 1: 120,823 . |
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In terms of health institutions, a similar pattern is seen: Nairobi , followed by Rift Valley Province, has the least population per health facility while North Eastern has the highest population to health facility. There are numerous refugee settlements in Northern Kenya, not included in the table above, whose access to health care is almost none. |
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| VACCINATIONS |
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In Central Province 79% of all children have had their recommended vaccinations compared to only 9% in North Eastern Province, again not even including the refugee population. |
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| Source: 2003 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. Figures in brackets are based on 25-49 unweighted cases (pulling Apart 22). |
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TB on the News: North Eastern provice
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Visit Garissa, Mandera, Ijara and Wajir district hospitals and all you will hear are hacking coughs along the corridors. The disease knows no age or gender since children as well as men and women are all casualties. |
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Medics attribute the prevalence of the deadly disease to ignorance and most of all, the lifestyle of the local communities. |
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The Somali are a close-knit community, whose members like sharing almost everything including meals. |
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Efforts by local medics to reduce the prevalence rate of the third largest killer disease in sub-Saharan Africa have largely been fruitless. |
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However, they have since established that some cultural practices by the community have been fuelling the spread of the highly contagious disease. |
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Mr Jamal Mohammed, the Wajir District TB co-ordinator who is also the clinical officer in charge of the local TB manyattas, says the culture of sharing meals from a single plate is a conduit for transmission. |
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"TB is mainly spread through contact with saliva droplets from an infected person and sharing food from the same plate definitely contributes to the spread of the disease," he says. |
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This is the reason why it is very common to find a whole extended family suffering from TB. "You can successfully treat a TB patient today but after eight months, he or she comes, back having contracted the disease mostly from family members," says Mohammed. |
