An Open Letter To Our Health Ministers.
Posted on 12. Jan, 2012 by afyakenya in Blog
My attention was drawn to a news article yesterday in which our Public Health Minister, Hon. Beth Mugo, revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the recent past for which she sought medical attention in the United States. She underwent surgery for the same under the care of some of the best trained, best equipped and well motivated healthcare staff in the world. She went further to explain that she is now out of danger with early detection proving key in her successful management. We thank God for this.
I must commend the Honorable Minister for her bold step in coming out with this information. She, together with her Medical Services counterpart, Hon Anyang’ Nyong’o who was last year diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, have set the pace in battling this scourge by highlighting its existence in Kenyan society and thus sensitizing the public on the same. Hon. Nyong’o even went as far as publishing insightful articles on Prostate Cancer in our local dailies.
As a result of their courage, especially considering our political landscape in which one’s health may be used as a weapon by one’s political rivals, a large number of Kenyan men now know the danger signs to look out for regarding Prostate Cancer and Kenyan Women understand the pivotal role that Breast Cancer screening plays in combating the disease.
However, this also brings to light the plight of the larger Kenyan population that does not have access to the same standards of care that our Honorable Ministers enjoy. This can be explained simply. According to the World Bank, the United States spent approximately 16.2% of their Gross Domestic Product on healthcare while Kenya spent a measly 4.2% of our GDP on the same. We, as a nation, simply do not invest enough in taking care of our sick.
In April 2001, African Union countries meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, pledged to increase government funding for health to at least 15% of their national budgets, and urged donor countries to scale up support. Only one African country has reached that target. Overall, 26 have increased the proportion of government expenditures allocated to health and 11 have reduced it since 2001. In the other 9, there is no obvious trend up or down.
In light of this, in December of last year, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union mobilized its members in a strike to agitate for change in the manner in which healthcare is administered in the country. Many Kenyans at the time did not fully comprehend the reason for this drastic action. It is my prayer that we begin to realize that we are facing a national healthcare crisis. Its time healthcare is treated as the priority it is in Kenya. With an estimated 40% of the national population living below the national poverty line, it is obvious that a large part of Kenyan society cannot afford private healthcare. We need a well oiled and efficient public health service for this portion of society.
I would therefore like to take this opportunity, as we celebrate the good health of our two healthcare Ministers, to encourage them to pursue the matter of healthcare funding. Having been on the literal front – line in the battle against disease, Kenyans will expect to see the two speak out and act for the majority. We look to your leadership Honorable Ministers.
Kind regards,
Dr. Oduwo Noah Akala
Executive Chairman,
Afya Kenya Foundation.
n.oduwo@afyakenyafoundation.org
www.afyakenyafoundation.org
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