In 2005, my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and diabetes. I had just finished college and realised the devastating effects of cancer. He received medical care in Canada and despite having some of the best doctors and medical attention, he passed away two years later.
After that ordeal, I paid more attention to universal healthcare and how the free healthcare system in Canada helped my father to fight for his life, especially with the high costs associated with cancer treatment.
It is very likely that you have received numerous invitations for a harambee, or a message to send someone cash because they cannot afford to pay medical costs for an ailing family member.
Healthcare in Kenya has become a luxury for a few and even fewer are able to afford health insurance. No one is immune to health problems and everyone requires medical attention, with a few others requiring specialised medical attention that costs millions.
India has built its medical tourism industry, where many people from around the world go for specialised treatment.
Kenya has the expertise and is conveniently located to attract medical tourists, if we are able to enhance healthcare, build capacity and infrastructure, and provide universal healthcare for all citizens.
The move by the government to bring in the Cuban doctors is a step in the right direction. Additionally, the managed medical equipment programme started three years ago has ensured level 4 and 5 hospitals have the required equipment to transform healthcare.
It is important that Kenyans take keen interest in the universal healthcare component of the Big Four agenda, as it will help us deal with some of the challenges that have seen us always pooling resources for different people.
A key enabler of the health component is the goal to achieve 100 per cent universal health coverage by scaling up NHIF uptake. Those who have taken NHIF seriously can tell you it has gone a long way in helping them settle medical bills.
In addition, there is the plan for gradual increment of budgetary allocation to the health sector from seven per cent in last year to 10 per cent in 2022.
In a nutshell, this plan aims at having a paperless referrals system, improved access, increased efficiency, reduced cost, bridged human resource gap, and standardised quality in the health sector.
It is instructive to note that the UHC agenda is attracting a lot of interest and support as we saw last week, when Unicef pledged Sh15 billion to support the plan through immunisation and nutrition programmes for the next four years.
On the same day, PATH leadership met Health CS Sicily Kariuki and also pledged support in areas of primary healthcare. Israel is also among those supporting the plan and intends to cooperate with Kenya in areas of trauma and emergency healthcare.
Since last year, the government of India has also been on board and made a donation of a Bhabhatron cancer machine to Kenyatta National Hospital. It is also offering assistance to the national and county governments in the training of Kenyan doctors and allied staff.
It is also encouraging to see that the national and county governments are working jointly to expand coverage of existing health services and reduce financial risk associated with the use of essential services to accelerate attainment of UHC.
These steps, even though I have not exhausted all that is happening, must be encouraged and supported by all Kenyans. If we achieve this dream, we will no longer have to always call for harambees to cover healthcare needs.