the health system in Kenya
Introduction
The Kenyan scenery, wildlife and year-round high temperatures make the famous country emigrants looking for a unique experience in Africa. Over the years, the country’s health care system has seen improvement, although there are several issues to consider when looking at healthcare options in Kenya. Kenya is determined to improve the access and equality to essential healthcare services and ensure that the health sector plays its role in attaining vision 2030. However, we notice that we cannot achieve the goals without improving the quality, quantity and distribution of health workforce with an inadequate number of skilled human resource who has harmed enhancing the quality of health services. This study provides an overview of the general health system in Kenya, the challenges faced, and precautions to be taken to improve the health system. Kenyan health care is divided into three categories; Public Health Providers and Private Health Providers.
The government-funded public healthcare is provided in dispensaries and primary health centres. The government pharmaceutical KEMSA provide medication and medical supply to the government dispensaries. The dispensaries are run and managed by nurses. Public health centres offer free medicines to common ailments like flu, malaria and minor skin conditions. Patients with complex conditions are referred to hospital and private healthcare. Emigrants are not restricted to use the public health centres, but the standard they will encounter are below what they expected. They find that the healthcare programs facilities are poorly equipped, understaffed and lack medication. Kenya has the lowest patient-doctor ratio in the world, with one doctor per 10,000 patients. Most of the doctors are focus mostly on the urban areas; this means that being sick in rural areas can be tremendously dangerous on the account lack of medical facilities to be found locally. The Central and Nairobi province are known for offering the best healthcare facilities, whereas the North East is the most undeveloped.
Private healthcare has become the most prominent over recent years. In Kenya, there is a disparity between the rich and the poor. In major cities where the majority of the wealthiest people are found there are several well-equipped hospitals while in the rural areas the situation is opposite. The theory that all Kenyans have access to universal health care is not correct because, in reality, they struggle to receive the care they need. Authorities complain about the corruption and the limited funding which result in inferior care. Emigrants and tourists prepare themselves before visiting to assure themselves of the best standard health care. Due to the state of the public health sector, most travellers and wealth citizens tend to avoid the understaffed public facilities with long ques and opt to go to the private facilities. While the costs can be considerable, the modern medical equipment, well-groomed doctors and minimal waiting times makes the facilities the obvious solution.
Recommendations
To develop a sound health system in Kenya, an adequate number of skilled and experienced workers should be employed and ensure that performance and practice standards are met to enhance quality provision. Patients satisfaction, medication services add a good relationship between medical officers and patients must be given priority to improve the quality of the hospitals. To make a healthy nation in Kenya, modern health services are needed with low costs or free of charge. The government should increase the budget in the health sector and provide free medical camps for the poor. Various national and international NGOs and other organization should also contribute to making the health sector standard. The government should find a way to provide the community with adequate essential resources and teach the parents the concept of a balanced diet in children.
Conclusion
In this study, we have discussed the health system in Kenya, which is a developing country in the SSA. The childhood vaccination has to be always provided to reduce child mobility and mortality rates. The reduction of child mortality will make a healthy nation in future. In every year many Kenyans die due to curable and preventable diseases, the government should try to reduce the pervert in the country so that people can spend an adequate amount of money to take the right treatment and be on a balanced diet to prevent diseases. In the study, it is noted that the health care facilities are not sufficient in the health sector; awareness must be increased to avoid malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDs and the other infectious diseases. Children are vulnerable to pneumonia and diarrhoea. There is no unreliable evidence of the cause of cholera due to difficult access to clean water, poor sanitation and crowded housing condition. The government should find a way to provide the community with clean water.