State working to improve quality of medicare, says Nyong’o

Kenfrey Kiberenge

Patients will soon have access to high quality medical services locally and will not have to travel abroad for the same, Medical Services Minister Anyang Nyong’o revealed recently.

And according to Nyong’o, the Government is seeking ways of entering into a partnership with the giant hospitals in India and South Africa to set up operations locally, besides upgrading facilities in local hospitals to world-class status.

"We are keen to improve delivery of healthcare services at home. We welcome partners such as India with whom we can partner to achieve our healthcare goals," said the minister.

The minister was speaking during the Indian Medical Tourism Destination exhibition held this week in Nairobi.

He said the Government aspires to create a healthcare hub modelled along the lines of India, thereby making medical tourism "two-way traffic". "In the short term, we will continue to support those Kenyans who travel to India for medical treatment. But in the long term, we wish to establish a strong partnership to facilitate knowledge sharing, technology transfer where such leading hospitals like those present here can offer their services in Kenya so that more Kenyans can access these services," Nyong’o said.

Speaking at the same function, Kenya Medical Association chairman Andrew Sule said the number of Kenyans preferring to seek treatment locally is steadily rising due to the continued improvement in the quality of healthcare.

"While a huge number of people are still going to India for treatment, we are beating you (India). Previously, Kenyatta National Hospital used to perform one kidney transplant per year but now we are doing the operation every week," he said.