As part of the reforms, the Authority has reduced its Order Turn Around Time from 46 days in February 2021 to 16 days at the end of February 2022. The Authority also managed to dispatch Essential Medicines and Medical Supplies (EMMS) and national strategic priority health programs supplies valued at more than Kshs.9.73billion as at the end of last month to all counties.

Yesterday, KEMSA Acting CEO flagged off medical supplies valued at Kshs.380 million that will be sent to Kilifi, Marsabit, Samburu, Baringo, Garissa and Tana Counties. Mr. Kabuchi said the Authority had re-engineered and automated several operating procedures leading to improved output.

This morning, the Kilifi Governor, Hon. Amason Kingi flanked by KEMSA Sales Officer Ms. Leah Gichoya flagged off Pharmaceutical, Non-Pharmaceutical and Laboratory Equipment worth Kshs.176 million to 150 health facilities in different parts of Kilifi County.

“This is a continuation of the progress on the stakeholder management efforts led by the Board of Directors and Management geared at providing a suitable cushion for primary health management as drought-hit countries receive nutritional supplements, rehydration solutions and essential medicines. Kilifi is one of them and we are glad to be of service at this critical time,” said Ms. Gichoya.

Kilifi is one of KEMSA’s best performing counties in terms of paying outstanding dues for goods received. The others are Nakuru, Laikipia, Nyeri, Meru, West Pokot, Turkana, Kisii and Makueni counties which have no pending bills with the Authority.

“We have always supported KEMSA as we are well aware that when we pay on time the Authority is able to pay suppliers, including local ones, on time. We have continued our long-standing partnership because we have quality assurance from the Authority, something we take very seriously as we work to ensure quality lives for Kilifi residents,” said Hon.Kingi.

The Authority has stepped-up stakeholder engagement efforts geared at unlocking the settlement of outstanding dues from several counties valued at more than Kshs 2.7 billion to boost the national scale of the Universal Health Coverage agenda. Increased collections from the counties will allow KEMSA to fast-track pending payments to its suppliers who include local manufacturers.

As part of Customer Relationship Management, KEMSA has also stepped-up capacity-building efforts at the county level. The efforts include technical corroboration on operational measures such as improving ordering processes, including inventory management, adherence to quality management and pharmacovigilance.

The supplies headed to 150 facilities in Kilifi comprise of essential medicines ordered by the county government as per the Kenya Essential Medicines List. This list was developed by the Ministry of Health and recognised the disease burdens in each of the counties allowing for tailor-made ordering of Essential Medicines and Medical Supplies (EMMS) from KEMSA.

Late last week, KEMSA confirmed that it had turned a new page in its procurement excellence journey with the formal activation of an automated purchase order generation system.

As part of its transformation journey, which includes integrating information technology systems, KEMSA has unveiled an electronic Local Purchase Order (LPO) generation process. The automation of the Procurement process and elimination of manual procedures that require human intervention, such as the issuance of LPO, is also part of the Authority’s ethics and integrity assurance strategy.

The post KEMSA Shakeup Improves Supplies Deliveries to Counties appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The service, dubbed Maisha Air Ambulance Plan, entitles customers to unlimited evacuations and transfers from anywhere within Kenya or parts of the Eastern Africa region.

Customers can choose from amongst different categories, including Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. To sign up for the service, customers are required to subscribe for different categories, at a rate of between KSh2,300 and KSh10,500 annually.

One of the best ways that we can protect our wealth is by paying keen attention to our health and well-being.

Paul Russo, MD National Bank of Kenya

Speaking during the launch of the service, National Bank’s Managing Director Paul Russo said: “We are continuously focusing on intricacies touching on our customers, their businesses in general, as well as different industries and sectors.

We are doing all it takes, including striking strategic partnerships to unlock more value for Kenyans.”

“Health is wealth. One of the best ways that we can protect our wealth is by paying keen attention to our health and well-being. As we work towards helping our customers meet their financial aspirations, we want to ensure that their health is safeguarded too. It augments our existing offering for health insurance; is anchored on our desire to deliver added value to customers”.

The Maisha Air Ambulance Plan is available for the bank’s retail, corporate and MSME clients. It also grants them direct access to the AMREF Flying Doctors’ 24-hour control centre for medical advice provided by qualified practitioners. They also enjoy access to the air ambulance provider, without having to go through third-party intermediaries.

AMREF Flying Doctors has been offering air medical evacuation and ambulance services in Africa over the last 60 years.

The Chief Executive Officer of AMREF Flying Doctors’, Stephen Gitau said: “We are pleased to partner with National Bank to guarantee safety of their clients in case of a medical emergency. This draws from our long and rich experience and track record of delivery speedy quality service”.

The cover does not cover out of hospital treatment of mild injuries and illnesses; acute condition at the time of signup; inpatient medical cost; war, political violence and civil unrest; search and rescue; criminal activity; and contamination (biological or chemical).

The post National Bank Introduces Emergency Evacuation Product for Customers appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The investment will see the hospital serve more clients with an increase in bed capacity at the Maternal high dependency unit from the current 8 beds to 36. It has also been equipped with patient monitors and a heating system.

“I would like to thank our partners, the County Government of Baringo, for their support in this maternal health programme. We commit to working together to deliver the objectives that we have set out to achieve to improve the lives of mothers and children in this county”, said Rita Okuthe, Safaricom Foundation Trustee.

Last year the Safaricom Foundation also supported the county’s Barwessa health centre and Chemolingot sub-county hospitals by upgrading their newborn and maternity units respectively at a cost of Kes 21 million.

In January last year, Safaricom Foundation launched a KES 82 million Maternal, Newborn and Child Health programme in Baringo County with an aim of averting the high mother and child deaths that occur in the county.

Safaricom Foundation’s maternal health programme was launched in 2019 and so far, Counties in the Coast and Rift Valley regions have benefited from it. Under the programme the foundation set aside KES 132 million to promote maternal, newborn and child health services around the country.

The Kenya Demographic Health Survey shows that the county loses 375 mothers for every 100,000 births and 31 infants for every 1,000 new borns.

The post Safaricom Foundation Commissions New Maternity Wing at the Baringo County Hospital appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

Speaking to the press in Nairobi during the daily media briefing, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that the donation from World Bank will augment the already available capacity in the country. He also indicated that the government was importing more ventilators from various parts of the world without divulging the quantities and source destinations.

With fears that the cases which are now at 42 may rise to overwhelm the health care system in Kenya, the government has announced a partnership with the private sector to help in the production of personal protective equipment, both for use locally and for export to other regional countries also dealing with the pandemic. Production is expected to begin in a week.

We must start building our local capacity. We are now at a place where we believe we can start manufacturing personal protective gear from next week. World Bank has donated 250 ventilators. We are getting 1000 ICU beds in addition to what exists currently .

– CS Kagwe

Local governments (counties) have also been advised to identify boarding schools which may be used as isolation centers in the regions should the country experience an influx in infections beyond what can be handled by existing hospitals.

The private sector has identified schools, air freight hangars that can be used as hospitals or isolation facilities when the need arises. No country on earth has contained this disease in just their existing health facilities alone.

– CS Kagwe

The government has also confirmed that it has plans to hire more health workers should the situation demand. Without committing to how many additional health workers the country may need in the coming days, the CS assured the country that there are enough skilled personnel waiting for an employment opportunity and will be brought on board as the situation dictates.

The post Covid-19: Kenya To Get 250 Ventilators From World Bank As Infections Reach 42 appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

However, behind the perfectly made-up face and the ear to ear smiles lie a deep scar that very few know about. Not even the people closest to her.

Christine grew up as a very happy girl but today happiness is a facade she only wears in public. In the privacy of her house, she often breaks down in tears. For three years now, she has suffered from depression and feelings of rejection that she is yet to know how to deal with.

Let me take you back a little to the first time I made contact with her. I had written a long post on my Facebook wall about my experience with depression and being suicidal in my late teens and early twenties. The reaction to that post was beyond my wildest imagination. A lot of people shared and tagged friends on the post. There were comments of encouragement and people asking about how they could be of help to friends and family members. Of course, there were the usual negative comments too. Then there were those who came to my inbox and Whatsapp DMs thanking me for the courage of speaking out about this topic that many would rather ignore.

Christine was one of those. She told me she was fighting to stay alive. The day I made that post was one of her toughest days. Coincidentally, it was exactly three years since her six-month-old baby died. She had no one to talk to about her feelings. That evening I stayed late in the office chatting her up – mostly it was just listening (or should I say reading what she wrote).

I met Christine a little over two weeks ago, for the first time. We had been friends on Facebook for a very long time. I have no idea who sent the other a friend request. If it’s her who sent one, then I must have accepted because of the numerous friends we have in common. I swear I am not one of those dudes who accept friend requests from ladies based on their looks. I don’t even look through their photos. If we don’t know each other in person we have to have at least 100 mutual friends.

When Christine asked where we could meet for coffee, I said Acacia Hotel’s Buzz Bar without thinking too much about it. It was a Monday morning – about 8.30 AM. It was so convenient because it’s just a short distance from my former office. I was hoping to be back in time for our usual 11.00 AM meeting.

Ordinarily, I would have just walked the 578 steps that stand between my former office and West End Mall, but on this particular Monday, the Kisumu sun seemed unable to make up its mind whether it wanted to shine or let the rains take over. I did not want to take chances by walking, so I jumped on a motorbike. It took Samuel Ababu; my bike guy when I am at the office, less than three minutes to get me there. One day I will tell you a story about Sam.

Christine wore stone-washed denim pants, a cream turtle-neck sweater, and brown leather boots. She had a brown leather handbag that was now resting on a seat directly opposite Buzz Bar’s entrance. Her sunglasses were on the table next to a gold iPhone 6 Plus. She wore a golden Michael Kors wristwatch with brown leather straps.

Her head was bowed when I walked in. She was perusing through the contents of the menu. It was not difficult spotting her despite the fact that this was our first meeting. She looked just like her Facebook and Instagram photos, if not a little prettier. I guess I was not that difficult to notice either. She stood up with a wide smile on her face the moment she lifted her head off the menu and saw me walking towards her. Perhaps she had heard my footsteps. She gave me a tight bear hug before motioning me to take a seat opposite her. Still smiling.

“It’s good to finally meet you, ” she said to break the little awkwardness that came with the brief moment of silence after I had taken my seat.

“Yeah, it is, ” I said trying not to look uneasy. I did not have any reason to be. Maybe I was taken aback by her beauty.

Have you ever met someone so beautiful that the words you had get lost in your mouth? You just stand there or sit down staring – at times with your mouth wide open…Yes, I was having one of those moments. I almost forgot why I was there for a quick minute.

“Daniel, are you okay, ” she inquired.

“Yes, I am, ” I replied trying to compose myself. Small droplets of sweat were starting to form around my face despite the chilly weather outside. I took off my half jacket and hung it on the back my seat.

I was a little uneasy. It had everything to do with our sitting position. When meeting someone, I like to get to the venue before them so that I can choose a position with a vantage view of all the entrances and exits. On this day I had my back turned to the main entrance to Buzz Bar and the other glass door that joined the first-floor restaurant with Buzz Bar was on my left side too. Not that I felt that she might be dangerous, I just don’t know how many enemies I have created out here in the line of work and I never want to be caught unawares.

I however relaxed with the hope that Murphy’s law will not apply. I ordered house coffee – double espresso while Christine settled for the “Irish Devil, ” a signature Buz Bar cocktail that is made from Jameson Black Barrel.

“I hope you don’t mind me drinking this early, ” she said. Her eyes peering into mine, perhaps in an attempt to read what I was not saying with my mouth. Christine did not just have a beautiful face and figure, she was also tall. About six feet tall. So you can imagine her looking down on my 5″ 6′ frame. Kinda intimidating.

One of the things I have learned from personal experiences and interacting with people from all walks of life is never to judge anyone. Before I pass judgment on other people’s choices I often remind myself that “not everyone I meet has had the same experiences as I have.” It helps me respect each person’s choices and opinions.

“No, I don’t, ” I said with a smile.

“I can never start my day without a drink. I usually have bad hangovers in the morning and a shot of whiskey helps me stabilize. At night I can’t sleep without having a drink. I can’t remember the last time I slept like a normal person, ” she explains.

Christine is in Kisumu visiting with friends and family. Not even they know of her depression problem that’s now compounded by alcohol dependency. She was not always like this.

Three years ago, Christine was your average girl next door. That is if your next door girls graduated top of their medical classes, work at one of the country’s top private hospitals and are taking their Master’s Degree specializing pediatric surgery. That was Christine’s life. But she was also looking forward to starting a family.

Her boyfriend was a young medical researcher working at a research institute in Nairobi that is affiliated to Nagasaki University Institute of Tropical Medicine. They had been living together for two years but had dated since her campus days. Before her last pregnancy, Christine had had three miscarriages. The first two were within the first trimester. The third was at six months. She says her boyfriend had really wanted them to have a child and she was becoming increasingly worried about not being able to give him one. They saw different obstetricians but none seem to know what the problem was.

After her last miscarriage, the bond between Christine and her boyfriend began to weaken. She says she felt as though she was less of a woman.

“I could not give him the one thing he really wanted. He was capable of making me pregnant but I could not carry a baby to term. It weighed me down. I was afraid I would lose him to someone who could give him a child, ” she explained the first time we talked on Facebook.

One of the doctors she saw after the last miscarriage advised her to wait for six months before she tries getting pregnant again. She could not.

Not when every single day that passed she felt as if she was losing the man of her dreams. A man she saw herself growing old with. In her mind, she had always played this scene where they had both moved to work in Kisumu. Her husband was teaching at Maseno University’s school of medicine while not conducting research at KEMRI – Kisumu station. Their two children were now both grown-ups, living away from home. On Saturday afternoons they would sit on the balcony of their four-bedroom maisonette in Riat Hills on the side that overlooks the airport, immersed in books with occasional glances at each other. At times she would engage him on a surgical case she is working on at Aga Khan, Avenue, Kisumu Specialists or any other big private hospital that would be in town at that time. Some of those weekends their peace would be disrupted by cops who came by after their Christian neighbor snitched that they were smoking weed in the balcony. The highlights of their afternoons would be gossiping about their kids. Their son who now acts all independent, throwing all his energy in his tech business. He would act like he did not need any help from mummy and daddy but quite often would run to his elder sister to borrow money promising to return if his business picked up. Of course, his sister would get the money from their folks but they would all promise to never let him know that the money was from them. Boys and their pride. They would talk about the girl and their worries about her disinterest in getting married.

Chances are that these were now just going to be dreams playing out in her head. She could not wait for six more months. Not when her boyfriend now spent more time at the bar with his work colleagues than he did with her. Some of them female. She had lied to him that she was on the pill but she wasn’t. Just three months later she was pregnant again. She did not tell him. She had raised his hopes three times and ended up disappointing him. She wasn’t going to do it a fourth time. So she waited. He only became aware when her morning sickness became intense, by then she was already four months in.

She still remembers the day they brought the baby home from Nairobi Hospital. It was the happiest day in their lives. Their house had never been that warm. At least not in the recent past. That night, her boyfriend went down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. In front of his mother and two sisters. She said yes. She had said yes months before he asked. At times she wondered if he ever would. That night he uttered the all important four words.

This baby was going to grow up in the most loving, caring and protective arms. That is what she thought. How could she not? Their baby was going to be raised by two doctors, what could go wrong?

“Daniel, I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe that he died on me, ” she said as a drop of tear escaped her eyes rolling down cheeks, messing up her makeup.

I stayed there still. Not uttering a word. Avoiding eye contact. I did not want to see her cry. We had talked about her experience before. Each time we talked she mentioned a detail she had not mentioned before. Coming to this meeting I had not known what to expect. I to some extent thought we would just be buddies having coffee and catching up. It happens that I am one of the people she confides in and that conversation that started with her explaining why she is drinking at nine o’clock opened the gates to this moment.

I kept my eyes on her right hand which was rested on the back side of her iPhone that was lying on the table – face down. I started at her nails which had brown stick-ons.

I did not ask her what happened to the baby. Maybe as a journalist, I should have. It would have satisfied the curiosity you have right now. But on that day, I was not a journalist. I was just a friend who was listening. Another thing that experience has taught me is learning to listen. I was not going to intrude into her grief by asking questions that would make her relive the most traumatic moment of her life. If she volunteered the information, well and good. At that time I did not even think that our conversations would make it to one of my Monday stories. I am glad she later granted me permission to use them in a story.

“A part of me died with him. I had him for six months. I was a good mother, then I was not a mother at all, ” she said as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

I wanted to hug her but I did not. I wasn’t sure if it was even appropriate. So I extended my left hand and gently rested it on top of her right hand which was still on her phone. I handed her a napkin with my other hand. She gently dried her tears. I moved my other hand so that she could use both of hers.

“You know we don’t have to talk about this. We can talk about other happier things like your coming final exams or the fact that you are no longer doing graveyard shifts at Kenyatta National Hospital’s pediatric unit for your residency, ” I said trying to change the topic.

“I haven’t talked about this with a lot of people. I feel like I need to let this out. It’s okay if you feel overwhelmed, ” she said.

I understood her. I felt her pain. We had lost a child at birth too about four years ago. We also had had multiple miscarriages. I know how difficult it is to find someone to talk to about these things.

“No, it’s okay. You can talk about anything you want to, ” I said with a gentle smile.

The death of their son left her depressed. She resigned from her job. She hardly took care of herself. She had no idea how to cope. To make matters worse her boyfriend left. One morning he just left as if he was going to work and he never came back. He did not even take his clothes with him. All attempts to mend their relationship failed. She thinks he left because she could not give them a baby. She blames herself for him leaving.

Christine registered for a Masters programme and buried herself in books and her new residency program at Kenyatta National Hospital as a way of dealing with the loss. It was not enough, so when she was not studying or working, she was drinking.

She is almost done with her course work. She still drinks. At times a lot. There wasn’t much I could do other than listen. I gave her contacts to an organization called ‘Still A Mum’ that offers help to women who have lost their babies. It was started by a friend of mine known as Wanjiru Kihusa. They are based in Nairobi. I also gave her my brother’s number. My brother is a psychiatric clinician, I am sure he can be of more help to her or even give her better referrals.When I reached out to her last week, she was yet to contact either of them.

That Monday I missed my eleven o’clock meeting. I don’t regret it though. I picked up the tab to pay the bill but she would not let me.

“This is on me Daniel, I know we are still a little far from month end but let me take it. The next date will be on you,” she said.

I would never let a lady pick the tab on a first date but because she said “month end” and not “end month” I let her settle it. I have never understood people who say “end month” when they mean “month end.” Christine wasn’t one of those people.

The post PART OF ME DIED WITH MY BABY appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

I notice that other than the few male journalists who are here, there is another man paying close attention to what one particular woman is doing. At times he lightly pats her on the back and offers a gentle smile. At first, I assume that he is one of the trainers from Limau Cancer Connect. I later learn that he actually is a husband to one of the breast cancer survivors.

James Osundwa would have been in Kitale attending to customers at his electrical hardware shop or supervising workers at his farm today. However, he chose to be here. Standing beside his wife and watching her knit away, like the brave gentleman he is. At times he offers her words of encouragement. He has been by her side since the first day they got the shocking news of her diagnosis with stage- three breast cancer and the subsequent mastectomy.

“Breast cancer is not something you can fight alone, you need the whole community around you. There is a stereotype that being diagnosed with cancer is a death sentence and so you need the people closest to you standing by your side.”

While this came out more naturally to James, most women who are diagnosed with cancer do not get the support they need from their spouses. Some men have divorced their wives or even married a second wife when their wives are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Roselyne Buya; James’ wife will be going for a chemotherapy session tomorrow (Wednesday). Her husband will be right there next to her holding her hands as he has always done. Seeing her husband there eases the pain that comes with cancer and the side effects of chemotherapy.

“See how my face looks radiant despite the rigorous treatment I am going through. This is a direct result of the love and support I have received from my husband, my extended family and my employer,” she says.

Roselyne adds that seeing how supportive her husband is, encourages her to keep fighting the disease.

James does not only show up for sessions like this which allow his wife to interact with other survivors and share experiences. After a chemotherapy session such as the one she will have tomorrow, Roselyne will be too weak to do anything for herself. James has taken it upon himself to understand his wife’s nutritional needs and when the medication takes its toll, he will be there to prepare the meals she needs to recover her energy. He also cleans and takes care of her every other need during this time.

“My husband has put aside every important thing he has been doing to walk this journey with me. I feel very special and loved,” says Roselyne.

Nancy Githoitho is the founder of Limau Cancer Connection. She founded the organization after losing her mother to breast cancer. She uses her networks in the US where she lives to fundraise for items like prosthetic breasts for cancer patients who are economically underprivileged. She is here in Kisumu on the invitation of Kisumu Cancer Support Group – a network of cancer survivors and caregivers that both Roselyne and her husband belong to.

Nancy agrees that it is important for men to start supporting their wives who are diagnosed with breast or any other form of cancer like James is doing.

“Having such a loved one holding their hands adds days to a cancer patient’s life. They even heal better. Women want to feel loved and emotionally attached to the special people in their lives and their families during this healing process.”

Women who have undergone mastectomy like Roselyne need the prosthetic breasts to regain confidence in their womanhood. The prosthetics also help women who have had one breast removed to get their balance when walking.

Nancy says that most of the patients who undergo a mastectomy cannot afford commercial prosthetics which go for between Ksh. 30,000 and Ksh. 50,000 (UDS 300 -500). The knitted prosthetics that the women here are being trained to make cost about Ksh. 2,000 (USD 200) to produce. Today though, the yarn has been donated by Nancy’s organization and they will also walk away with free prosthetic breasts.

“Even those who can afford the commercial prosthetics do not like them because they are heavy and sweaty especially in hot areas like Kisumu. ”

Roselyne concludes by encouraging husbands to walk the journey with their wives who are undergoing any form of cancer treatment.

The post RIGHT HERE BY MY SIDE’ – THE STORY OF A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR AND HER HERO HUSBAND appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The rollout of Equimed abroad was borne out of research findings from a poll conducted by Equity Bank on Kenyans living abroad. When asked what type of support to their loved ones back home costs them the most, nearly 30% of them said medical care. This was the second highest rating after investments which polled at 36%.

The respondents also noted that their primary concern was on how to assist their their loved ones back in Kenya. Paying medical bills was one of the top concerns as well; with investments being their foremost concern.
As the world becomes more globalized, many enterprising Kenyans have left the country and made other countries abroad their second home, obtained jobs or started businesses and are supporting their families back home.

This comes on the backdrop of increased remittances by Kenyans living abroad which has risen by 4.1 per cent in the first half of the year to $887.6 million (Sh91.6 billion) in comparison to a similar period last year according to statistics from the Central Bank of Kenya. The report indicates that the Kenyans in diaspora sent more money home in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the first, peaking at an all-time monthly high of $161.5 million (Sh16.6 billion) in May.

Commenting on this move, Equity Bank Insurance General Manager David Muchiri said that the Diaspora population has emerged as a strategic partner in pushing for the growth of its products abroad.
“Equimed is a comprehensive medical insurance package offered to individuals, families, groups and SMEs that will allow diaspora customers take care of their loved ones back home while realizing huge savings on the amount of money they spend on healthcare in Kenya. We continue to enhance our product portfolio to ensure that we become a one-stop shop information portal that has information on how customers are able to access funds especially through our Eazzy banking platform,” Muchiri said.

The post Equity Insurance Agency unveils a healthcare product for the diaspora Market appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

I remember his words on Facebook, still so fresh in my mind because I could relate to one part of it;

“No parent should ever bury a child but worse still no parent should ever be in a position of not being able to bury their child.”

I can relate to the part that says no parent should ever bury their child because I know how it feels from experience – it’s tough, the dictionary does not have the right adjectives to describe what a parent who has lost their child feels like. Add to that, this parent that has already lost a daughter who has been unwell for so long but can’t lay her to rest so that they can grieve in peace. The hospital is holding onto the body because of a Ksh. 7.2 million bill that they have no idea where it’s going to come from.

Tamika, Bobby’s daughter has been sick for a long time. In 2015 she underwent a liver transplant in India that costed about Ksh. 8 million, that is before you factor in the local treatment she had here before being taken to India.

The transplant went on well, she recovered and even resumed school but a relapse while undergoing checkup at Nairobi Hospital would have her admitted at the ICU for weeks on end. Even then the family had to part with about Ksh. 800,000 every week to keep her treatment going on.

This is the story of a family that has done everything in their power to keep their daughter alive.

Let me tell you something about the Stewarts. Bob is an ordinary guy, not one of the rich people who can afford expensive treatment at the Nairobi Hospitals of this world. He lives in Kisumu and runs a modest business – a hard worker by all means. When her daughter became sick, he threw into her treatment all he could. He doesn’t say it but you and me can imagine even the business has taken a toll. That though is not his greatest concern, they just wants an opportunity to be able to move on – they want closure. Something that only happens when you lay your loved one to rest.

As we speak, a bill of Ksh. 7.2 million is still standing between the Stewarts and their closure. We can help them get this closure by coming together the way only Kenyans come. We have done this before for people we did not know just because we were touched by their pain – we did it for Jadudi, we did it for Tamika before when she was going to India and we can do it one last time for her, so that her parents can find closure and so that her body can finally lay in peace – trust me there is no peace in a cold mortuary slab.

No amount is too small, all you need to do is go on MPESA and enter paybill number 891300, account name: Tamika – put in any amount your heart feels like and when done share the MChanga Confirmation on social media using the hashtag #IstandWithTamika.

If you are outside Kenya you too can contribute by following this link: https://www.gofundme.com/istandwithtamika

Follow me on Twitter & IG @IamOminde

Follow this blog on Twitter @OmindesWords

The post The pain of losing a daughter, the agony of not being able to bury her appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

Part of the reason leaders in countries in the “hot zone” of the disease — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — avoided the issue was because it focused international spotlight on how demonstrably ill-prepared they were to contain the pandemic.

Then-Cabinet Secretary for Health James Wainaina Macharia penned an article titled “How Nigeria beat Ebola: Key lessons for Kenya as told by CS James Macharia” to catalogue how Nigeria had successfully contained and beaten back the outbreak and what Kenya could learn from Nigeria’s experience. The former banker offered that Nigeria had:
– Identified AND acknowledged the outbreak very early on,
– Not politicize the outbreak i.e. allowed investigators to do their work unimpeded,
– The infrastructure fully equipped and ready for use,
– Actively worked with ALL local stake holders and
– Luck on its side!

Fast-forward to 2017 and Kenya is now dealing with an outbreak of cholera and like the outbreak of Ebola, it is the perfect storm of incompetence, corruption, impunity and for good measure, election year politicking!
One outbreak was traced to the Weston Hotel where doctors were attending a science conference. The hotel is linked to the Deputy President William Ruto. It doesn’t surprise anyone that there were efforts to suppress news of the outbreak within the hotel.

In another outbreak of the disease, the Cabinet Secretaries for National Treasury and Industrialization Henry Rotich and Adnan Mohammed were stricken after eating catered food at a trade fair held at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC).

And in May, three people died after eating at a wedding in tony Karen just outside Nairobi.
Since May, 336 cases of the disease have been reported with Mathare, Huuruma and Mukuru Kwa Ruben being the most affected areas – this according to The Star newspaper.

Surprisingly, given the highly contagious nature of the food and water-borne disease, one would expect the equally-crowded areas of Kibera, Korogocho, Mukuru kwa Njenga, Sinai, Kwa Reuben etc. to be just as affected by the outbreak as the afore-mentioned slums – all areas with little to no structured sanitation including open sewers, little to no plumbing and foods cooked under some very suspicious and unregulated conditions.

On the other hand, the high-profile instances (Weston Hotel, KICC & Karen) all occurred in three distinct spatially-segregated geographic “ground zeros” – in organized (catered) and presumably sanitary settings.
Not to belabor the point, but my SO is an engineer and consistently reminds me that all investigations follow predictable methodologies AND identify/focus three basic components:
– Man
– Process/Machine
– Material

To wit, caterers prepared and served the food at the wedding in Karen, the conference at the Weston Hotel and the trade fair at the conference center.

Identifying the possible source/s of the outbreak/s in these instances would be comparatively easy compared to identifying the possible source/s of the outbreak/s in Mathare, Huuruma and Mukuru Kwa Ruben.

The government in a bid to be seen as doing something moved to order the immediate closure of San Valencia Hotel and Jacaranda Hotel in Nairobi, both linked to supplying food infected with cholera to public events. It’s however interesting that Weston Hotel which is linked to the Deputy President was not among the hotels affected by the order.

Why the Jubilee government would deny that the outbreak at the Weston Hotel was cholera – two months into the outbreak – speaks to the three elements of the perfect storm alluded to at the beginning: Corruption, Impunity and Election Year politics.

The blanket cancellation of medical certificates of all food handlers is a knee-jerk and illogical reaction that speaks to incompetence and flailing.

The decision not only metes out collective punishment to those in the food industry with nothing to do with the outbreak, it creates panic within an industry that is vital to the country’s economy.

The current cholera outbreak, like the ongoing violence in Laikipia and elsewhere, is yet another example of a Jubilee government that has been demonstrably corrupt, incompetent and poorly led.

Edited by @IamOminde

The post Jubilee’s Handling of the Cholera Outbreak – Election Year Politicking, Malice or Incompetence? appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

Among the striking doctor’s demands is the full implementation of a contentious collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed with the national government in 2013. That agreement is contested for among other reasons that it was signed by a ministry of health official at the national government despite the fact that in Kenya healthcare is a function of the county governments. This CBA outlines salary increments and upgrading of public hospital facilities to enable the doctors efficiently deliver on their mandate.

The past 100 days saw protracted court battles between the doctors’ union and the government, doctors sent to jail and mass protests that included the shutting down of private health facilities in the country.

This strike was one of the longest industrial actions in Kenya’s history. That it has lasted for this long clearly shows a leadership deficiency that we are struggling with as a country. This deficiency is evident when we spend USD 5.5 billion on our military as if we are a country at war while the Western world is awash with TV images of Kenyans suffering from the effects of drought.

In an attempt to find a middle ground on the strike, President, Uhuru Kenyatta intervened in the early days asking his Health Cabinet Secretary (minister), Dr. Cleopa Mailu to spearhead the negotiations process with the doctors union officials led by their Secretary General Dr. Ouma Oluga. To show the utmost lack of seriousness, the minister would further delegate this to the ministry’s Principal Secretary and three other senior officials. The Principal Secretary who seems to enjoy a close relationship with the President and his deputy defied his boss’ orders and did not attend any of the said meetings. Although his office was not a political office and in total disregard for the law that prohibits public servants from engaging in politics, Dr. Muraguri was at the same time actively involved in monitoring voter registration in the President’s Central Kenya stronghold.  This was evident in the Deputy President’s speech earlier this week during a funeral service for a Senior Government official.

One evening while I was getting updates on how the mass voter registration exercise was progressing in different parts of the country, I called one of our PS from Nyeri – Nicholas (Muraguri) and asked him how things were progressing in Nyeri. He told me that today Gachagua (the late Governor) talked to all his people on a conference call from a London hospital. – Deputy President William Ruto

Why was  the PS being assigned duties in the mass voter registration exercise while he had a huge crisis in his ministry? Are the hundreds of lives lost so far less important compared to votes that the president and his deputy are hunting for?

This failure in leadership though is not only an indictment to the current government. The opposition and parliament could have done better. When the opposition wanted changes in the electoral commission, they organized for mass protests that forced the government into a negotiating table. It was evident from the start that the government was not ready to come and sit down with the doctors to have these conversations that other than just grant the doctors more pay would have revolutionized the quality of public healthcare in Kenya. The opposition still had the same tools they used to institute an overhaul at the electoral commission at their disposal. But just like it is in the case of the president and his deputy, an election win was not at stake here, only the “worthless lives of Kenyans “were.

At the height of the crisis, the government had resolved to sacking all striking doctors and employing new ones from Tanzania, Cuba and India. How practical that would have been will forever remain a mystery but Tanzania was on record saying that they did not have enough doctors to send to Kenya.

Even as we celebrate the return of doctors to our health facilities, nurses are threatening to down their tools too. Teachers have issued a strike warning and lecturers just went back to work after months of industrial action.

Maybe instead of importing doctors and other striking public servants this country really need to think hard about sacking it’s leaders and importing new ones – if we have to.

A version of this article was published on the Africa Blogging website.

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