Minister must restore trust in healthcare delivery

Most recently, a local media station carried a story on the damaging levels of corruption within our medical institutions.

The story was packaged as an exposé and was aimed at revealing the rot eating at our healthcare.

Its sensational narration struck a chord with the public as its producers calculated millions of shillings lost through unscrupulous dealings on medical drugs and equipment.   

But that story has been since been criticised for its lack of depth and goodwill.

One of its key witnesses for example, is a man under investigation for conmanship.

The figures provided did not add up nor provide the real picture of their sources and utilisation.

At best, the story was akin to the prelude of a poorly scripted telenovela. At worst, it brought to fore real and imagined challenges that come with insufficient oversight within media institutions.    

Even so, and as the Cabinet Secretary for Health intimated, the ministry is in dire need of administrative and operational overhaul to address its corruption.

We know of stories of a few public officials that have enriched themselves through taxpayer’s money and denied citizens their rights to health.

We also know of many other individuals whose service to the nation have been brought to an end after being convicted of corruption.

The CS must, therefore, act in haste to restore citizens’ confidence in accessible and affordable health service delivery.  

 It must be appreciated, however, that a continued fixation on the negatives often blinds the eye to the many positives behind the bad press.

The government commitments around Universal Health Care (UHC) risk being overlooked if we pick and choose where to place our focus.

Indeed, a lot has and continue to be achieved within this space.   

The Ministry of Health has since initiated processes of finalising envisaged reforms within the National Health Insurance Fund.

These include pooling together existing health funds from our national taxes, enforcing compulsory insurance contributions and promoting voluntary health schemes.   

UHC now defines Kenya’s essential benefits package to include access to medicine, certain medical procedures and health technologies that must be available to all Kenyans at local and national levels.

These initiatives are supported by the health ministry’s review of Essential Medicine List and Kenya Medical Supplies List.   

The ministry has also provided basic equipment specifications to Kenya Essential Medical Supplies Agency to facilitate better monitoring of drug and medical supplies prices for standardisation. 

Over time, these initiatives have seen an increase in number of facilities providing Kenya Essential Package for Health services.

Statistics from the Ministry indicate a 41 per cent rise in 2013 and a 55 per cent and 57 per cent in 2016 and 2018 respectively.  

UHC promises cannot be achieved without requisite human resources. To attract motivated and professional medical personnel, the ministry has facilitated training of 200 specialists through fellowships, placed 2,717 degree holders in internship and another 4,000 diploma holder interns in primary health care facilities.

To address COVID-19 challenges, the ministry has since facilitated absorption of 5,493 final year Kenya Medical Training College students on attachment for a maximum period of 3 months to boost overstretched healthcare staff.

 County level health service delivery is equally important. Records from the ministry indicate 14 counties have already expanded and operationalised their health infrastructure, including adding equipment and maternity wings and increasing professionals deployed to the local level.   

Ultimately, these interventions will ensure required healthcare services reach all Kenyan as the country strives to achieve its UHC goals.

Additionally, these will help curb social and economic challenges currently posed by the Covid-19.

But most important is that increased investments, public goodwill and more transparency and accountability will sustain healthier and productive society . — The writer is an Advocate of the High Court and comments on topical issues