EVEN if a specialist were offering free or subsidised health
services in rural Kenya, punishing distances would prevent thousands
of patients who need such services from accessing them, experts say.
The
national average distance to the nearest public health facility in Kenya
is about 9km, and about 50km in remote counties like Mandera, West
Pokot, Garissa, and Wajir.
This is
according to the Kenyan Health Sector Strategic
Plan,
which recommends no more than 5km (or one hour) walking distance to such facilities.
“Many specialists abroad are willing to offer disadvantaged
groups the kind of medical attention they need but cannot get at home. What has,
however, been missing is a way to connect these specialists with the patients,”
said Alniz Popat, the chief executive officer of Lifecare International.
Popat said
the combined barriers of geography and costs have resulted in delays in
diagnosis of curable illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and chronic
respiratory illnesses in rural
Kenya.
He referred
to “Financial and geographic barriers to healthcare access in Kenya,” a 2022
study which showed a higher probability of failure to seek health services for
every one kilometre a Kenyan has to travel.
“Longer
distances would imply more transportation costs, which then drive up the total cost of
treatment beyond the reach of many,” said the two authors Brian Odhiambo and
Purity Kagendo, both research fellows at the Kenya School of Government.
“Counties
also need to adopt the use of mobile clinics to enhance primary healthcare
access,” they advised.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, out of about 13,000 doctors who work in Kenya, only about 2,000 (16 per cent) work in rural areas,
leaving a substantial number of rural residents with limited access to medical
care.
“This has
contributed to the high mortality rates in rural areas,” Popat said.
He said
innovative solutions such as telemedicine and mobile health clinics, that can
help bridge the gap created by geographic isolation, are essential.
He spoke during
this year’s edition of the
Better Together Mara Medical Camp, held in Maasai Mara in Narok county by Lifecare International,
through HealthX Africa’s virtual clinic platform.
The Healthx
Africa platform enabled patients from the remote parts of Narok county to consult with medical
specialists from around the world.
Services
included general consultations, ENT check-ups, ECGs, dental and optical
care, and treatment for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and
hypertension.
The
cross-border medical collaboration between Kenyan and international doctors
saw medical teams perform more than 500 optical procedures, 64 tumour removals,
73 cataract extractions, 240 dental procedures and two cleft lip
reconstructions.
This year’s camp also featured a ward for women and
children, prioritising
essential services such as breast cancer screenings, gynaecology consultations
and paediatric care.
“Remember, we have one life, one chance, let us get it
right. Not just for us but for those less fortunate. So let us work hard, play
hard and serve hard,” Popat
said.
Now in its sixth year, the 2025 edition held at the
Enkitoria Oloolaimutia Medical Centre in Narok West on June 2-3 reached more than 4,000 individuals, bringing the total
number of beneficiaries since the initiative began to 16,500.
The camp was presided over by Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu, who
called on more organisations to support such initiatives, because of the role
they play in bridging access to healthcare gaps for people living in rural
Kenya.
The initiative was supported by partners including Allianz
Partners, Bupa Foundation, Tipilikwani, Action in Focus, Cigna, Emica Executive
Coaching & Healthcare Consulting, King’s College Hospital, Taiba, Cheps,
Aga Khan Hospital and HealthX.