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"content": "Question 088/2024"
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"content": "MEASURES TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE SURGICAL OPERATIONS AND MEDICATION FOR FISTULA PATIENTS"
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"content": "(a) Could the Cabinet Secretary explain the measures that are taken by the Government to provide surgical operations and medications for patients who are suffering from fistula, but who cannot access medical cover? (b) Could the Cabinet Secretary state whether the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) would cover surgical procedures and treatments for patients suffering from fistula? Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
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"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1403014/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health",
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"content": "(Ms. Susan Nakhumicha)"
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"content": ":"
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"content": "Thank you, Hon. Speaker and Hon. Members. Currently in Kenya, Helicobacter pylori, which is commonly known as H.pylori, is tested using rapid antibody or antigen kits, which is not as invasive as endoscopy and biopsy. They are also called point of care tests. Hospitals source for those kits independently or from Kenya Medical Suppliers Authority (KEMSA) for Level 4 facilities and above. The Ministry, however, is currently reviewing the specifications of the test kits available with a view to including them in the laboratory essential diagnostic list. In Levels 4 to 6 hospitals, biopsies are also done during endoscopy, which is an invasive procedure and requires specialized skill to perform it. The Kenya guidelines recommend that patients with H.pylori are treated using a combination of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors. Those medicines are listed in the Kenya Essential Medicines list of 2023 and are stocked by KEMSA. The list guides counties and KEMSA in the procurement and distribution of medicines to various levels of care. According to the list, the proton pump inhibitors should be available in Level 3 and Level 4 facilities, while the antibiotics of choice are listed to be available in Level 4 facilities. KEMSA also stocks the triple therapy kit, a kit comprising the three medicines for treatment of H.pylori, which is drawn by the counties for Level 4 facilities and above. Part two of the first question is about provision of statistics detailing the number of persons tested and treated for H.pylori in public hospitals. Hon. Speaker, the statistics available are for the number tested for H.pylori and those tests that have turned positive. According to reported data from the Kenya Health Information System in facilities, that is, faith-based, private and public facilities, in 2023, about 1 million tests were conducted with a test positivity rate of 26 per cent, of which 500,000 were performed in the public hospitals with a positivity rate of 22 per cent. There is no specific data on the number of patients treated for H.pylori, but as digitisation of the health system continues, the data will be available in future. The second question is about the measures taken by the Government to provide surgical operations and medication for patients suffering from fistula, but who cannot access medical cover. The Government, through the Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority, has developed a benefits package of entitlements that beneficiaries will be receiving. This benefits package has been gazetted under the Third Schedule of the Social Health Insurance (General) The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
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"id": 1403017,
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"content": "Regulations of 2024. The package of health intervention is comprehensive and includes the management of fistula. Furthermore, it takes care of neglected women's diseases, which include pelvic inflammatory disease, breast lumps, pregnancy complications, myomas, amongst other conditions. The Social Health Authority will reimburse providers or hospitals who provide those services to our women and girls. Part two of the Question is whether Social Health Insurance Fund will cover surgical procedures and treatment for patients suffering from fistula. Indeed, the Social Health Insurance Fund will comprehensively cover surgical procedures and management of patients suffering from fistulas and will ensure the promotion and prevention of fistulas through the provision of quality healthcare. I invite Members to look at the Third Schedule of the Social Health Insurance (General) Regulations of 2024. The benefits package has been defined. Hon. Speaker, I submit."
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
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"content": "Thank you. Esther Passaris, are you satisfied?"
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Esther Passaris (",
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"content": "Nairobi County, ODM): Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Cabinet Secretary, on H. pylori, I want you to understand that when a woman goes to a hospital or a facility and she is having severe motion, stomach cramps, and pain and she needs to conduct tests, even if she has NHIF, she is going to be asked for some money to conduct that test. If she does not have the money to conduct the test, she goes home with untreated H. pylori . I have just checked with Mama Lucy Hospital, and the drug is actually out of stock. If H. pylori is untreated and the Government does not take it seriously in terms of making sure that we do random testing of society and of the communities to see where it is prevalent and what treatments are appropriate, just the way we treat any other ailment, we are going to deal with a lot of ulcers and stomach cancers. There could be a correlation between the increase in cancers of the colon because of untreated H. pylori. I was trying to get a global picture on whether the Ministry of Health sees H. pylori and the resultant untreated illnesses as an issue, and if there are plans to go to the public and test. About three months ago, five of my friends and I all had H. pylori at the same time. So, I am beginning to think that it is prevalent and we need to make an assessment of what is going on in the grassroots. When it comes to NHIF and fistula, fistula for me is, even though it is not life- threatening, actually reduces the dignity of the lives of the women who suffer from it. I know that Kenyatta National Hospital offers the fistula surgeries with NHIF. Majority of the women who suffer from fistula do not have NHIF and so, they are out there suffering. When it comes to making sure that everybody is covered by SHIF going forward, I want to suggest an innovative financing. Right now, you have not been able to get every Kenyan to sign up for NHIF, even at Ksh500 per household per month. So, when we move to SHIF, even if you are going to lower it and say it is X amount, I agree with Hon. Mathenge that getting them to pay it lumpsum at the beginning would not work. I would like to take you to innovative financing through transactional tax. Maybe, it would be easier for us to consider that because that was used by certain countries to raise money for vaccines by putting a tax on business class tickets and economy tickets. That is why we get vaccines at a low price. So, if you put an innovative tax of X percent…"
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "You are making a speech. Ask your question."
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