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Category: HEALTH

  • Democratizing Healthcare Access in Kenya with Mobile Technology

    Democratizing Healthcare Access in Kenya with Mobile Technology

    Taking care of your health and that of your loved ones can be quite expensive. With the current economic status in Kenya, out-of-pocket spending on healthcare can be a huge financial burden for a household to bear. But with a growing population, an increase in Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and the emergence of new variants of diseases, healthcare remains to be a necessity rather than an option. Although significant strides have been made to improve access to quality and affordable healthcare, there is a lot to be done, to fast-track care access to the millions of underserved Kenyans, especially in low and medium-income communities.

    During the post-COVID-19 Pandemic, many Kenyans have been pushed into poverty due to out-of-pocket spending when receiving healthcare when they need to. Statistics read that 2 out of 5 Kenyans are unable to receive medication when they need it due to the high cost of treatment, in most circumstances, individuals are forced to sell off their assets to be able to afford care, which pushes even more Kenyans into poverty.

    7 years ago, M-TIBA sought to address part of this gap and enable access to affordable healthcare not only for individuals but also for SMEs who are our biggest contributors to the economy. Through innovation and technology, M-TIBA’s solution makes it more affordable for millions of Kenyans to access quality healthcare. Through developing a mobile technology solution that allows interaction between insurers, healthcare providers, and individuals, we have enabled accurate, transparent, and predictable information flow across the healthcare value chain, which has improved efficiencies and brought down the cost of care.

    For us, reshaping healthcare means creating opportunities for healthcare providers to expand their businesses and for individuals and groups to easily access quality and affordable healthcare services. For example, Cash Advance, a service for Healthcare Providers(hospitals)  by M-TIBA in partnership with the Medical Credit Fund (MCF)  to provide unsecured loans of up to Kes. 40 million shillings as working capital to private facilities, to help bridge the financial access gap they face.

    At M-TIBA, leveraging technology to streamline processes in healthcare access means being able to track expenditure, manage claims and other processes effectively allowing healthcare providers to focus on their core function, which is offering better care to their patients. For insurers and healthcare providers, digitizing the whole claim process goes a long way in reducing fraud, lowering administration costs, enhancing efficiency and ensuring payments are done on time, which brings down the cost of insurance administration, which is usually the core reason insurance has been significantly costly for many Kenyans to afford.

    Being able to help individuals manage their health plans by enabling them to decide on an insurance plan that is favorable to them, manage expenditure and track it (supporting accessibility in healthcare) is also part of the solutions we offer to empower individuals to access care conveniently, by leveraging the power of technology.

    Through digitizing all end-to-end systems in the healthcare value chain, we ensure that individuals, healthcare providers and insurers are able to interact quite easily, which has significantly translated into a much lower cost of accessing care for thousands of Kenyans every day. For us, it is not just about innovation and tech but also about creating impact, it’s about leveraging technology to democratise healthcare across the region, and to empower millions to access quality and affordable care whenever they need to, right where they are,  and we are quite enthusiastic to be building the future for healthcare.

    By: Managing Director Mr Moses G Kuria

  • Important Tips to Improve Your Oral Health

    Important Tips to Improve Your Oral Health

    The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people globally. That’s close to half of the world’s estimated 7.7 billion people. Dental caries, also known as tooth decay or dental cavities, is the most common untreated health condition in the world, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Report.

    The rise in cases of tooth decay has been linked to changes in feeding and snacking habits, which have evolved due to factors such as higher disposable incomes, tighter work routines, and cultural changes that have come with urbanization and globalization. People are feeding and snacking more frequently and often on the go. Without proper oral health practices, this increases the risk of plaque build-up and can be bad for your teeth by predisposing you to tooth decay.

    As the world marks World Oral Health Day, observed annually on March 20, below are top tips to improve your oral health courtesy of the Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program, a global oral health initiative by Mars Wrigley.

    1. Brush your teeth regularly and correctly

    Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride-based toothpaste to keep tooth decay at bay. The process of brushing your teeth should take at least two minutes. The technique of brushing also matters and there are plenty of free online videos from dental associations demonstrating how to brush correctly.

    It’s important for adults to lead by example in households, as many children imitate what they see grownups doing. Kids are seven times more likely to skip toothbrushing if their parents do too, according to the FDI World Dental Federation. The adult population therefore has a responsibility to take up the challenge and encourage children to pick up the right habits.

    1. Understand the science behind sugar free gum

    Did you know that chewing sugar free gum helps prevent tooth decay?  Most people chew gum to freshen breath before an important meeting, to burn up some nervous energy, or just because they like the taste. Few realize there’s extensive good science backing up the benefits of chewing sugar-free gum.

    If you feed regularly, chewing sugar free gum for 20 minutes after snacks and meals can help protect teeth. The oral healthcare benefits of chewing sugar- free gum brands like Orbit are today recognized and supported by regulatory authorities, an increasing number of governments, FDI World Dental Federation and nearly 20 national dental associations worldwide.

     

    1. Visit a dentist regularly

    Poor oral health seeking behaviors are partly to blame for the high prevalence of oral diseases such as tooth decay. Most people often seek treatment for oral diseases when complications arise or worsen, instead of seeing a dentist regularly as recommended by health experts.

    Early detection of oral health issues can help reduce the risk of serious complications in future. If left untreated, oral diseases can have further consequences on your general health. Good oral health not only enables you to functionally perform as a human being (speaking, smiling, smelling, eating), but is also important for communication and human relationships. Our vision of ourselves and how we are seen by others are all influenced by our oral appearance. Oral health outcomes can have implications for one’s mental health and ability to socialize.

     

     

     

    1. Discuss your health insurance options

    Paying for dental visits out of pocket can strain household budgets. It is therefore important to discuss your health insurance options with your employer or insurance provider. There are various options in the Kenyan market tailored to the needs and budgets of different households. Having a cover not only eases the financial burden associated with accessing oral healthcare but can also help improve oral health seeking behaviors as people will more readily see a dentist if they know they are insured.

    There is, however, still a huge financing gap as many people in low-income areas and rural economies cannot access insurance covers. This leaves them at great risk. That is why the Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program recently partnered with the Kenya Dental Association to bring free oral healthcare to communities in Lamu and raise awareness about good oral health practices.

    “Our dentists and medical team screened patients, performed minor oral surgeries, and distributed medicine all through the week of March 20. We reached a total of 917 patients in the islands of Lamu, Faza and Mpeketoni,” said KDA Secretary General Dr. Douglas Oramis.

    “We continue to support oral health in Kenya and globally through our Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program, partnering with dental professionals to drive positive societal impact and raise awareness about the oral health benefits of chewing sugar free gum.  We thank our partners at KDA for working with us on this important initiative,” said Ismael Bello, General Manager Sub-Saharan Africa, Mars Wrigley.

    The company’s 2023 outreach with KDA builds on the success of a similar program in 2022 which impacted 537 patients in Lamu. The island is one of the regions impacted by poor oral health seeking behaviors due to socioeconomic factors, making the interventions in 2022 and 2023 by KDA and partners such as Mars Wrigley timely and impactful to the local community.

     

  • Persons with disability council launches Disability Mainstreaming Status Report

    Persons with disability council launches Disability Mainstreaming Status Report

    The National Council for persons with disabilities (NCPWD) launched its first Disability Mainstreaming Status Report for the Financial Year 2021/2022, during an event graced by CEOs and representatives from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), commissions, academia, members of the private sector, development partners and organizations of persons with disabilities.
    This also forms the first official high-level publication by the Council as part of efforts to make it a knowledge-generating institution on matters of disability in Kenya.
    The report highlights the performance of various MDAs on disability mainstreaming as part of their Performance Contracting obligations in the period under review. It also gives emphasis on the challenges faced in promoting disability inclusion, as well as recommendations on how to mitigate them.
    The report is now digitally available on the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD).
    The Chief Guest was Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Labour and Social Protection Hon. Florence Bore, who was accompanied by Principal Secretary of Social Protection Mr. Joseph Motari.
    Hon. Bore called on MDAs to ensure ample support is granted to their disability mainstreaming committees, and ensure that the committees also include senior management for speedy implementation of proposals.
    With the country yet to have a disability policy in place, the Cabinet Secretary asserted her commitment to the finalization and adoption of a national disability policy which will form the guiding outline for disability inclusion in the country.
    Executive Director Harun Hassan cited that the aim of the report, and those in the years to come, is not for naming and shaming, but for reviewing the work ‘that is yet to be done to make our governance more inclusive.
    Also in attendance was the Chairperson of the National Assembly Committee on National Cohesion and Regional Integration Hon. Yussuf dan Haji, EALA MP Hon. David Sankok, Nominated Senator Hon. Crystal Asige, Nominated Senator Bishop Emeritus (Dr.) Jackson Kosgei, Council’s Board of Directors and Assistant Director  Registration and Compliance Mr. James Ndwiga.
  • Rotary Club Of Hurlingham And County Govt Of Nakuru Hold Free Medical Camp In Kikopey Gilgil Saturday

    Rotary Club Of Hurlingham And County Govt Of Nakuru Hold Free Medical Camp In Kikopey Gilgil Saturday

    The Rotary Club of Hurlingham will on Saturday, 25 March, 2023, hold a free medical camp in Nakuru county, in conjunction with the County Government of Nakuru, at Kikopey Medical Centre.

    Rotary Club of Hurlingham president, Hilda Gikera says, “We are happy to be back in Kikopey. This is not the first time for Rotary Club of Hurlingham. This time round, we have are focusing on eye health and we will be distributing frames.

     

    Eye diseases are rampant in this part of Nakuru county so we will have specialists for that. We will also have general practitioners and a host of other specialists.

    We are expecting over 600 people and we have worked very well with the Nakuru County Government and the Rotary Club of Gilgil, to arrange this medical outreach. We would like to urge residents of Nakuru County to turn up in large numbers for this free medical camp. It will start at 8 a.m.”

    Rotary Club of Hurlingham has been in existence for 33 years, and is proud to continue being of service to Kenyans. The last medical outreach was in December 2021 and was attended by 600 residents of Kikopey and neighbouring areas.

  • Community engagement toolkit for women’s equal participation in wash launched

    Community engagement toolkit for women’s equal participation in wash launched

    East African Breweries Plc (EABL) has partnered with CARE International in Kenya (CIK) to launch a Community Engagement toolkit for women’s equal participation in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).

    Women and children are disproportionately impacted by poor management of water systems, which in turn influences women’s and girls’ opportunities to develop, as they often miss out on education, income generating activities, and are further limited in participating in political activities.

    Women have consequently accumulated considerable knowledge about water resources, ranging from quality and reliability to acceptable storage methods. Unfortunately, women are rarely involved in water user associations, public water management bodies, and water committees, thus hindering the success of water management efforts.

    The toolkit will be used by EABL employees as well as their WASH delivery partners working on designing and implementing community WASH programs. It will allow them to integrate this approach to surfacing and addressing social norms as part of future projects and programs.

    It introduces two new measures that include, gender-equal representation on community water committees and holding community dialogues that tackle barriers to women’s equal access to and agency over WASH.

    “At EABL, our target is to reach 50% female beneficiaries in community programs by 2030. We, however, recognize that our commitment to gender-equal representation on committees might confront prevailing social norms and deeply held beliefs around gender roles. It is on this basis that we partnered with CARE to develop this community engagement toolkit to facilitate meaningful conversations around these potential tensions responsibly and without harm,” Jane Karuku, EABL CEO and MD.

    “Water is our most important ingredient. Preserving Water for Life’ is part of our sustainability strategy and outlines how we manage water in our supply chain, operations, and communities, as well as advocate collective action to improve water outcomes. The launch of this toolkit reaffirms our commitment to shift our programs towards gender transformative approaches,” added Ms. Karuku.

    “Gender equality approaches and risk mitigation must become embedded within standardized program design practices for all our community projects. The Community Engagement toolkit has put in place systems and structures that enable gender equity within the communities where EABL operates,” Maureen Miruka, Country Director, Care International Kenya.

    Diageo and CARE share the mutual goal to provide equal access to, and control over, skills and productive resources, by tackling the root causes of gender inequality within communities and building inclusive communities that work for all.

  • Parents and teachers Beware of Drugs in Schools

    Parents and teachers Beware of Drugs in Schools

    Chairman of Kenya Tobacco Control and Health Promotion Alliance Dr. Joel Gitali
    Chairman of Kenya Tobacco Control and Health Promotion Alliance Dr. Joel Gitali

    The Chairman of Kenya Tobacco Control and Health Promotion Alliance Dr. Joel Gitali has cautioned against the use of drugs and substances in learning institutions.

    Dr. Gitali, a highly respected advocate against tobacco use, was speaking to a local vernacular media, the Mirror Tv.

    He called for stakeholders to join hands – parents, teachers, and the authorities to see to it that our schools don’t harbor drugs.

    This is because students are usually soft targets for drug peddlers.

    He called upon those entrusted with the responsibility to up their job to see to it that learning continues well

  • National assembly’s select committee on delegated legislation meets ministry of agriculture on miraa regulations:

    National assembly’s select committee on delegated legislation meets ministry of agriculture on miraa regulations:

    The Committee on Delegated Legislation Chaired by Hon. Samuel Chepkonga met with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development over the crops (Miraa) Regulations, 2022.

    The Chepkonga-led committee had requested the Ministry to drop the charges on Miraa exports of Ksh. 4000 on every Miraa vehicle at the screening gate of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and the 4.5 USD per Kg on Miraa exported to Somalia and explain how the decision was arrived at.

    While responding to the issue, Director Miraa, Pyrethrum, and other Crop Felix Mutwiri told the committee that the Ksh.4000 are charges attributed to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) while the 4.5 USD is charged by various airlines and both charges are not provided under the regulations.

    With regards to Miraa being a drug or not, the Principal Secretary State Department of Agriculture and Livestock Development Kello Harsama told the committee that the issue had been resolved by the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act by not listing it as a drug.

    Harsama told the committee that Miraa being one of the most important cash crops in the Ministry of Agriculture did public participation with the stakeholders and the businessmen who trade in the crop as well as the customers for them to arrive at the necessary amendments to the regulations.

    Kathiani MP, Hon. Robert Mbui however avered that the vendors as much as they should not be regulated, the government should ensure that there is no potential abuse by the vendors by putting designated points around learning institutions.

    The Committee further noted that despite the markets being lost due to a lack of regulations, the current regulations have provided various provisions that seek to streamline the industry.

  • Billions of chickens suffering unnecessarily in fast-food supply chains, according to the Pecking Order Report

    Billions of chickens suffering unnecessarily in fast-food supply chains, according to the Pecking Order Report

    The Pecking Order Report released by World Animal protection earlier today has revealed that majority of companies in the food industry are failing to implement meaningful changes to improve the welfare of chickens in their supply chains. Companies’ inaction is not only an animal welfare issue but also a threat to human health, with antibiotic overuse in farming fuelling a deadly superbug crisis.

    The report calls on companies to raise welfare standards to reduce the need for routine antibiotics used to prevent disease amongst animals kept in appalling conditions.

    Dr Victor Yamo, Farming Campaigns Manager at World Animal Protection said, “The Pecking Order is committed to shining a light on the chicken meat industry and encouraging companies to improve their animal welfare policies. While progress has been made by some companies, others must be held accountable for their shameful lack of consideration of animal welfare.

    The Pecking Order 2022 highlights the need for fast-food companies to take urgent action to address animal welfare and human health concerns. Consumers are increasingly holding companies accountable for the treatment of animals used in their supply chains, and companies must recognize that there is no justification for profiting from the pain of sentient beings.”

    Every year, billions of chickens endure chronic pain, skin lesions, and even heart failure caused by selective breeding, with little environmental enrichment in their cramped living conditions. This is the reality for many chickens in the fast-food industry, who are subjected to inhumane treatment by companies who refuse to take their welfare seriously.

    The report’s key findings

    Kenchic is the leading company in Kenya in broiler chicken welfare with an overall percentage of 42%. In Commitments and Targets they managed an 83% score placing them in Tier 2 (good Progress). However, just like most of the global food companies they are yet to start reporting on their commitments. They are followed by Carrefour with a 17% overall score and a 33% score in Commitments and Targets.

    Most of the local companies assessed were performing poorly and very poor in their approaches to broiler chicken welfare in their supply chains and they lacked any animal welfare policy or commitments.

    For the global fast-food brands despite their franchises in other geographical regions having Animal welfare policies and having made commitments to improve broiler chicken welfare the same did not apply to their franchises in Kenya. This highlights the double standards of the brands globally.

    The report recommendations

    The report recommends four actions to improve welfare for animals on farms.

    1.     That local food companies endeavour to work with World Animal Protection to develop the requisite Farm Animal Welfare policies that are aligned to the Farm Animal Responsible Minimum Standards (FARMS) and make their commitments to improving farm animal welfare throughout their supply chain. The policy and commitments should then be placed on their website and launched publicly for accountability.

    2.     That global fast-food companies, liaise with their headquarters and franchises in other geographical locations which have developed the farm animal welfare policies aligned to FARMS and made commitments to improve on farm animal welfare within their supply chain to help them develop the same to eliminate the double standards within their supply chain.

    3.     That leading local food company in broiler welfare in Kenya start reporting on their performance in delivering the farm animal welfare policy to improve on their rating in 2023.

    4.     That animal resource industry in collaboration with the government (Directorate of Veterinary Services, Directorate of Livestock Production, Kenya Bureau of Standards among others) review the Food Animals’ Welfare – Code of Practice DKS 2829:2018 to align it to the globally recognized FARMS.

  • Veterinary Practitioners Suspends an Earlier threat to Strike

    Veterinary Practitioners Suspends an Earlier threat to Strike

    The Union of Veterinary Practitioners Kenya has suspended the nationwide strike which was set to begin today 11th March 2023 for a period of 60 days.

    Dr. Benson Kibore, the National Chairperson Union of Veterinary Practitioners Kenya (UVPK) says the decision to suspend the strike is meant to pave way for engagements with the 48 employers.

    The call for action had been occasioned by among other grievances:

    (i) delayed the signing of the recognition agreements by the state department of livestock development and respective county governments and negotiation of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)

    (ii) Failure to remit the union dues

    (iii) lack of employment, promotion, and succession management

    (iv) non-payment of extraneous, non-practice, and risk allowance
    (v) Delayed posting of veterinary interns and lack of in-service post-graduate training.

    The Union however cautioned that should the employer fail to sign the Recognition Agreement which has been pe ding since 2019 within the next 60 days window period then it will not hesitate to invoke the provisions of the Constitution and the Labor Relations Act No 14 of 2023 and call for a fresh Strike.

  • 150 2Jiajiri Beneficiaries Graduate from Mawego Technical Training Institute

    150 2Jiajiri Beneficiaries Graduate from Mawego Technical Training Institute

    Some 150 beneficiaries of KCB Foundation’s 2Jiajiri programme graduated with diplomas and certificates today from Mawego TTI in Homa Bay County. This was the school’s 5th graduation ceremony that saw 2,000 trainees receive the ‘powers to read’.
    This year’s graduates are the second cohort, sponsored through KCB Foundation’s 2jiajiri programme, to graduate under the partnership between KCB Foundation and Mawego TTI. The two entities partnered in 2021 – intending to formalize the informal sector through upskilling of artisans.
    Among the 150 trainees, 108 were trained in construction courses (e.g., electrical, masonry, plumbing and welding) while 42 were trained in domestic services (e.g. bakery). Twenty-two received construction toolkits to start individual and group-owned enterprises.
    In her speech, Head of KCB Foundation Caroline Wanjeri said: “Over the past seven years, KCB Group – through the Foundation – has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable development through empowering communities, slaying unemployment and providing humanitarian support in Kenya and beyond.”
    “We are most proud of the 2Jiajiri programme through which we provide vocational and technical training and business development support to the youth across the region. 2Jiajiri was launched in 2016 to create 250,000 jobs over five years by developing the blue-collar jobs economy; making it more appealing to the youth population. Since its launch, we have so far created 64,186 direct jobs and 385,008 indirect jobs cumulatively,” she added.
    The ceremony was graced by Hon. Ezekiel Machogu, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Hon. Gladys Wanga, Governor Homa Bay County, and other government officials and stakeholders in vocational and technical education. The Education CS reiterated the importance of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) centres, especially in absorbing the high number of KCSE graduates who do not get the opportunity to join universities.
    “I am excited that the youth and society at large are slowly but steadily overcoming the erring belief that white-collar jobs are better than blue-collar jobs. We must continue to embrace the blue-collar economy to accelerate the industrialization and socio-economic development of our country,” he said.
    “I want to congratulate KCB Foundation for the 2Jiajiri programme that is empowering our youth and helping alleviate youth unemployment across the country. This is an exemplary programme of how the private sector can create shared value to complement and collaborate with government efforts on key issues such as education. As a ministry, we are committed to advancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Stem) programs through TVETs as we aim to soon start exporting skilled labour in these areas to Germany and other European countries,” the CS added.
    Hon. Gladys Wanga reiterated the CS’s remarks adding that the County Government of Homa Bay will partner with KCB Foundation and other stakeholders to bolster programmes such as 2Jiajiri that seek to empower and elevate the youth economically.