Overall, globally, as in Kenya, healthcare resources are finite. But Kenya has tighter budgetary constraints than many nations over the globe. BD GRAPHIC
Health is always the first casualty in times of change and disorganisation. With this edition of The Edge, we have sought to gauge the health of our nation, digging into issues of devolution, commercial development, best practice, and systemic weaknesses.
We have looked at the country’s health profile, the gains and the areas where health is actually deteriorating.
The full range of stories we have prepared can be seen by downloading a PDF version of The Edge or by reading it as part of the Business Daily e-paper. We have, however, included links to some of the stories here:
What has emerged are three recurrent themes. The first is the need for better general understanding of health issues, with poor eating choices now driving the majority of deaths in Kenya, not through lack of quantity, but through individual decisions to eat one food over another.
Government and private sector moves to fortify the foods we love - maize flour, sugar and cooking oil - are an effort to replace the vital nutrients we aren’t eating, but for all our frustrations with the inadequacy of health resources, the single biggest health revolution that can occur in Kenya would be a shift in eating habits - taking us off the spot of being one of the most malnourished nations in the world.
A second recurrent theme is our shortage of medical staff, afflicting the management of every function within our health facilities and giving pause for thought on ways and means of driving the growth of our medical personnel even harder and faster.
Finally, our investigation into the scope and challenges for Kenyan health care has highlighted the often poor use of the health care resources we have, revealing areas where reforms have led to more health for the same spend, and also the very many areas where we are getting less than we should be, because we lack the systems and records to deliver efficiently.
Overall, globally, as in Kenya, healthcare resources are finite. But Kenya has tighter budgetary constraints than many nations over the globe.
What is clear from this report is that despite the underfunding, large strides have been taken in alleviating child hospital admissions, extending life expectancy, and caring for the terminally ill, in all those areas where resources are focused tightly on the most productive ways of getting the furthest.
Our challenge, in health, is one of spending what we can raise to deliver the most impact, for the most Kenyans.
Ochieng' Rapuro, Managing Editor
Jenny Luesby, Consulting editor
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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
