The launch of the Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Industry in Kenya indicates industry actors are willing to be accountable.
The Code has been developed by the sector’s umbrella body, Kenya Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Kapi) in partnership with its members and will place a big focus on ethics, but an even bigger focus on patients.
It seeks to govern practices among pharmaceutical professionals and hopes to create an atmosphere under which patients can develop more trust and confidence for healthcare providers Kenya’s health sector and its journey towards quality healthcare have always revolved around implementation strategies.
Over the years, development plans have been based on strategies developed and used by government in conjunction with health departments and agencies. As a result, efforts to streamline healthcare in Kenya have been stifled by several factors, including insufficient funds for implementation and at times blatant lack of support from the key stakeholders. Nevertheless, despite delays experienced with achieving growth, there is gradual change led by concerted efforts from the Government, donor agencies and professional associations like Kapi.
The new Code is patient-centric and revolves around the welfare of healthcare consumers especially in regard to their interactions with healthcare providers and medical devices.
It has been especially tailored to aid in the provision of accessible, efficient healthcare services. Additionally, developments in science and technology in the 21st century have led to significant advances in medicine and healthcare.
These developments are now greatly impacting on many people. But, this has also come with challenges to health workers, health researchers and the health care community at large. Medical professionals in Kenya are increasingly finding that they have to serve and handle patients with increased efficiency. South Africa, for example, leads on the continent after launching its own national code of conduct. Implementation of Kapi’s Code of Practice will therefore promote the health sector’s aim of looking to alleviate suffering of the public due to poor medical services provision.
A perfect example attached to this would be recruitment of highly qualified medical personnel and their exposure to continuous in-service training that not only expands their knowledge and skills in medical care but also the ethical code itself.
Improved medical care is founded and built on communication between medical workers and medical services consumers. It is at this moment that ethical standards promote the values that are essential to good communication such as trust, accountability, mutual respect and fairness.
Many ethical standards in medical care, including informed consent, protection of privacy and maintenance of confidentiality, provide a good working environment.
Ethical standards will increasingly help to build public support for medical care. People are more likely to find it easier to donate to medical services efforts by the public and private sectors if they can trust more the quality and integrity of these programmes.
It is also through a code of conduct that healthcare professionals can be held accountable by the public right from the way they administer treatment to how they utilise donor funds. The new Code of Conduct will in no doubt promote co-operation and collaboration in the entire sector.
In conclusion, efforts to bring together pharmaceutical industry stakeholders in order to agree on a national code of practice have taken a lot of time, energy and resources. But its subsequent launch and adoption will finally bring to fruition the industry’s dream of promoting its core values of increased professionalism, co-operation and collaborative work in the healthcare sector.
