High cost of living threat to reproductive health access
Economic stability and healthcare access are closely related. Poor healthcare might affect social-economic development, economic instability may also influence healthcare access and utilisation. Amid the post-pandemic period, Kenya continues to suffer heavy inflation rates with a rise in food and fuel prices which may greatly affect the prioritisation of sexual reproductive health at the household […]
KU to host regional health hub
Kenyatta University has become the new hub of multibillion shillings health investments after it was picked to host the first World Bank-funded regional infectious disease unit in East Africa. This comes days after the World Health Organisation revealed plans to build Africa’s first health emergency hub on a parcel of land on the institution whose […]
660 private hospitals plan to ditch NHIF over pay row
Over 660 hospitals plan to withdraw outpatient services for members of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) in protest following a mismatch in capitation rates and delays in signing contracts. The facilities under faith-based organisations and the Rural Private Hospitals Association (RUPHA) say NHIF branch offices are asking for invoices quoting Sh1,000 rather than the […]
DR Congo reports new Ebola case in eastern city of Beni
The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed a new case of Ebola in its violence-wracked east, the country’s health ministry said, just weeks after the end of a previous epidemic. The DRC early last month declared its latest Ebola outbreak over, more than two months after the virus re-emerged in the northwestern Equateur province. Last […]
Breast Lumps: Causes and When to See a Doctor
You notice that something is different with your breast, and you find a lump. Now what? If you notice any breast changes, call your doctor right away to get it checked, but don’t panic. Most breast lumps are benign, which means they’re not cancer. Benign breast lumps usually have smooth edges and can be moved slightly […]
Kisumu to get sickle cell centre of excellence
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) is seeking to establish a centre of excellence to combat rising cases of sickle cell disease. The unit that will provide comprehensive service to patients will help address childhood mortality, considering that up to 90 per cent of individuals with sickle cell disease in Africa don’t reach […]
Drive to curb sickle cell disease in Africa intensifies as Kenya bolsters prevention
Nearly 1,000 children in Africa are born with sickle cell disease every day making it the most prevalent genetically-acquired disease in the region. In Kenya, it is estimated that 14,000 children are born with sickle cell disease every year. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that shortens red blood cell survival causing anaemia. […]
Germany gives Sh950m to boost Covid vaccines uptake
The Covid-19 vaccination drive has received a boost through a Sh950 million grant from the German government. The grant was given to the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH,N) and the Aga Khan Health Services, to boost the Covid-19 vaccination in East Africa and support the public health system. The grant will enable AKUH,N and […]
Task force wants tax on cancer treatment products removed
The National Cancer Task Force wants the government to remove tax on cancer treatment products. The task force said in their report that products that are essential in cancer treatment are not covered under the National Health Insurance Fund, hindering access to quality healthcare and treatment outcomes. Cancer patients and caregivers who appeared before the […]
Gov’t moves in to contain devastating Swine flu outbreak in Nakuru
The Ministry of Health has dispatched a team of experts and disease surveillance officers to Elementaita, Nakuru County in an effort to curb the spread of Swine Flu that has left one child dead and eight admitted in hospital. Chief Officer of Public Health Services Dr Daniel Wainaina says about 140 cases of Swine Flu […]