A lobby group has called for the formation of a Parliamentary Non-Communicable Diseases Caucus.
The NCD-Alliance Kenya has said forming of the caucus will help bring together the legislators who can be at the forefront in championing key messages related to various diseases.
Already, countries in the region such as Uganda have such a formation which plays a critical role in advocacy in matters of NCDs.
NCD-Alliance Kenya vice chairperson David Makumi told the Star on the phone the caucus will ensure leaders advocate from a point of knowledge and accuracy while at the same time ensuring consistency in the messages passed across to patients.
“We absolutely want everybody to be part of this conversation but we also want everyone to provide accurate information so that what a legislator says is what the Health Cabinet Secretary will say and what I will hear the doctor say,” Makumi said.
“One of the things we recommend is the formation of a parliamentary NCDs caucus; a caucus of MPS interested in NCDS so that we have consistent messaging and we can engage with them as civil society and even as patients.”
Currently, a National TB Caucus of Kenya is led by Matungulu Member of Parliament Stephen Mule.
The caucus works with other African countries to easily track the targets they have set for eradicating TB in their respective countries.
Last month, 30 Parliamentarians from across Africa signed a political declaration calling on the heads of state to attend a forthcoming United Nations High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis (UNHLM).
They also want the heads of state to make meaningful commitments in a bid to end tuberculosis on the continent.
