Lawmakers yesterday took to task teachers’ medical service providers, Bliss Healthcare and Medical Administrators Kenya Limited (MAKL), over poor quality treatment that they have been offering to tutors in the country. 

MPs who sit in the Education committee, chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, accused the providers of offering substandard drugs at exorbitant prices, giving poor quality glasses, as well as keeping patients for long hours whenever they visit the hospital. 

Further, they also claimed that most of the hospitals operated by the providers are not enough, as Bliss, for instance, has 37 branches across the country. 

MPs Melly, Nabii Nabwera (Lugari), Mary Emase (Teso South), Joseph Makilap (Baringo North), Dick Maungu (Luanda) and Jerusha Momanyi (Nyamira Woman representative) sought to know why the providers dispenses generic drugs at exorbitant prices. 

They also demanded that Bliss Healthcare set the record straight as to why they serve as the role of master capitator and also as a service provider. 

Said Melly: “What I want you to note is that we have drugs dispensed as generic and as branded. Complaints have been raised, where teachers are granted substandard drugs.” 

No laboratories 

Emase said that she has received complaints from teachers that the quality of glasses they offer is of low quality, the drugs are generic, while their facilities have no laboratories and have no night services. 

She said: “I can read for you this one, we have received complaints from members that they received poor quality of glasses, they have been given drugs which are generic, and their facilities have no labs.” 

And added: “Who would be hearing about these issues if teachers are given generic medicines at low costs but this is not the case as you people are giving them the said drugs at exorbitant prices.” 

Nabii sought to know why the providers can dispense generic drugs, yet doctors prescribe original drugs to patients. 

He said: “Why do you think a pharmacist dispensing goes to the extent of explaining to a patient that a drug is either generic or original so that they can choose what they want. Also, for a cancer patient, the prescription is very clear because doctors prescribe the original medication and not the generic one. Is this doctor who prescribed this mad, or do you want to tell us that they don’t know what they are doing, not to prescribe generic medicine?” 

Generic medicine 

Makilap sought to know why the generic medicine is cheaper than the original drugs and thus called for thorough investigations to be done to determine how the said providers end up administering such medicine. 

He said: “Why is it that the generic drugs are cheaper than the branded medicines? Mr Chair, these people are in business, and we need to investigate this matter.” 

Maungu said that entertaining the debate on Generic and original drugs is a very serious and dangerous issue that ought to be shelved as it ought to be dealt with by medics. 

The sentiments by the members came after Bliss Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Felix Wanjala dismissed claims that they offer poor quality drugs, saying that none of the clients had ever complained. 

Further, he rubbished claims that generic drugs are of poor quality compared to branded ones, saying that they are all licensed, but the cost differs because original drugs have different molecules, which researchers have taken a long time to come up with.  

He said: “I do not want us to mix quality and generic. Let me pick an example, Panadol, it is the simplest that we know.  Panadol is a brand name, but since it was the first molecule to be created so we call it an original molecule. Then, someone else comes and makes the same molecule, which is called generic.” 

And added: “Generic drugs are good … and I’m speaking as a pharmacist. When we come to the issue of generic and branded, a generic is the same molecule as a branded one. The difference is that, say for Panadol is an original molecule made by GSK. If any other company makes paracetamol, it will call it by its name, but it is still a generic of Panadol.” 

MAKL Chief Operating Officer, Parmanand Mishra, disclosed that the scheme has removed the need for pre-authorisation for all acute outpatient visits, which are offered on a direct basis, while 96 per cent of admissions and discharges are being approved within 30-45 minutes. 

He, however, said additional documentation may be requested from the service provider to validate the treatment request in cases where potential irregularities are flagged, which may affect the turnaround time. 

He said: “Any emergency care does not require pre-authorisation; rather, a hospital is required to attend to the member as per medical protocols and inform the administrator within 24 hours of admission,” he explained.