The Departmental Committee on Health chaired by Murang’a County MP, Hon.Sabina Chege today held an engagement forum with stakeholders drawn from the health sector over the exorbitant cost of healthcare in the Country.
In their last engagement forum, the Hon. Sabina led Committee had tasked the Health Sector stakeholders to identify the key drivers of rising health care costs and to define strategies to lower the costs for the benefits of Kenyans.
The proposed approach includes defining strategies to lower health care costs and improving outcomes of the services provided to Kenyans; reviewing general costs of health care in the Country, including components of Proffesional fees,and cost of medicines, hospitality and medical devices which will contribute towards the action plan for lower health care costs.
Further, the stakeholders were tasked with establishing proposed costs and fee guidelines for each cadre aligned to the plan for lowered health care costs and to review for rationalisation, the Health facilities and Proffesional practice licence fees.
This initiative is informed by concerns among the Committee Members that exorbitant cost of health care has impoverished many Kenyans.
They hold the opinion that this is contributed by the fact that health care has been commercialised as Turkana County MP, Hon. Joyce Emanikor pointed out.
“Why is a mere paracetamol costs Kshs. 10 in one facility and it will cost Kshs. 1000 in another facility it beats the logic?” wondered Hon. Emanikor.
Reacting to the Members concerns, the acting Director General in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth acknowledged that many patients have been detained in hospitals after treatment following their inability to settle their medical bills in cases where Court Orders has been issued against the same.
“A woman was detained for one year and a half in a private facility in Kangemi and until the Ministry of Health intervened after the story was aired in one the mainstream media”, noted Dr.Amoth.
On his part, the Committee Vice Chairperson, Hon. Joshua Kuttuny observed that the deliberations must come up with a solution for this illegal detention of people over unpaid bills.
At the same time, Hon. Chege has urged the Government to invest and improve facilities in Public hospitals, so as to make them facilities of choice for those seeking medical care alongside their private counterparts.
Hon. Members present in the deliberations were the Chairperson Hon. Sabina Chege (Murang’a), Vice Chairperson Hon. Joshua Kutuny (Cherengany), Hon. Muriuki Njagagua ( Mbeere North), Hon. (Capt.) Ruweida Obo (Lamu County), Hon. (Dr.) James Murgor (Keiyo North), Hon. (Dr.) Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), and Hon. Joyce Emanikor(Turkana County)Hon. Martin Owino (Dhiwa) and Hon. (Prof.) Mohamud Sheikh (Wajir South) attended virtually.
