Reflecting on the progress made by Kenya as a country over the past fifty five years in Kenya’s healthcare, one can go back to the time when the “President Jomo Kenyatta” first took up his post. His vision of eradicating poverty, disease and ignorance was also brought in with him. And if one looks at the present situation of Kenya, one can see that the country has come a long way by making “tremendous” progress in all respect. However, the primary healthcare sector provides ample scope for improvement.
Moreover, the country has also provided the “most impressive” journey of economic prosperity in the entire continent. Currently, there is a slow improvement in the literacy rates which moves ahead in a steady manner, while more than seventy eight percent of men along with eighty one percent of women are able to “read and write”. Nevertheless, the look at Kenya’s healthcare sector reveals that the indicators are urgently urging to take action, especially when it comes to the level of primary healthcare. It is the only way to make sure that Kenya has a healthy future.
Given Kenya’s healthcare system at present, far too many people lose their lives due to illnesses that are treatable and preventable. Glancing at the following statistic figures one realises that “one in three Kenyans die from preventable and treatable illnesses, such as pneumonia and malaria”. Furthermore, one in twenty six children in Kenya die before they even turn one year old. Diarrheal diseases are one of the “top five” reasons that claim the children’s lives under the age of five. It is needless to say that these numbers cannot be accepted.
However, treatable and preventable diseases are easy to be managed in any primary healthcare system which is functioning. According to data “PHC can deliver 90pc of all the essential healthcare services people need throughout their lives, and is less expensive and more accessible than hospital-based care”.
Additionally, routine checkups are needed to determine illnesses at their early stage. Early diagnosis is a great help in preventing “non-communicable diseases” before the conditions turn complicated.
