Healthcare in Kenya
Encyclopedia
Kenya
’s health care system is structured in a step-wise manner so that complicated cases are referred to a higher level. Gaps in the system are filled by private and church run units. The structure thus consists:
s council, nursing council or the medical practitioners and dentists board depending on the proprietor’s qualifications. Clinical officers require ten years experience in order to open their own clinics. They are usually small units, often with a medical laboratory, which offer a wide range of services depending on the training of the proprietors.
s who are the team leaders. A typical health centre is staffed by:
All the health centre staff report to the Clinical officer in-charge except the public health officers and technicians who are deployed to a geographical area rather than to a health unit and report to the district public health officer even though they may have an office at the health centre.
The health centre has the following departments:
1. Administration block; where patients register and all correspondence and resources are managed from.
2. Out-patient consultation rooms where patients are seen and examined by clinical officers.
3. In-patient (wards) where very sick patients can be admitted. The wards are divided into male, female and paediatric with newborn units.
4. Laboratory where diagnostic tests are done. These laboratories can do the following tests- bloodslides for malaria
parasites, sputum AFB
, urinalysis
, full haemogram, stool ova and cyst
s, blood sugar, Elisa
and CD4
counts in comprehensive care centres for HIV/AIDS patients.
5. Pharmacy
6. Minor theater where minor surgical procedures are done e.g. Circumcision
, stitching wounds and manual vacuum aspiration
7. Maternity
8. Maternal and child health
9. Kitchen and catering
10. Student hostels for rural
health training centres where students go to get rural experience.
Sub-district hospitals'
These are similar to health centres with addition of a surgery
unit for Caeserian section and other procedures. Many are managed by clinical officers. A good number have a medical officer and a wider range of surgical services.
hospital.
has eight provinces each with a provincial hospital which is the referral point for the district hospitals. These are regional centres which provide specialized care including intensive care and life support and specialist consultations.
namely
released a report on The State of the World's Midwifery. It contained new data on the midwifery workforce and policies relating to newborn and maternal mortality for 58 countries. The 2010 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births for Kenya is 530. This is compared with 413.4 in 2008 and 452.3 in 1990. The under 5 mortality rate, per 1,000 births is 86 and the neonatal mortality as a percentage of under 5's mortality is 33. The aim of this report is to highlight ways in which the Millennium Development Goals
can be achieved, particularly Goal 4 – Reduce child mortality and Goal 5 – improve maternal death. In Kenya the number of midwives per 1,000 live births is unavailable and 1 in 38 shows us the lifetime risk of death for pregnant women.
.
There are two ministers:
Each minister has two assistant ministers and a permanent secretary
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) is established as a body corporate, under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, Cap 244 Laws of Kenya. The PPB is regulatory body within the Ministry of Medical Services. It is a body corporate under Section 3(6), and the de-linking process is on-going.
, Wellcome trust, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
etc.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
’s health care system is structured in a step-wise manner so that complicated cases are referred to a higher level. Gaps in the system are filled by private and church run units. The structure thus consists:
- Dispensaries and private clinics
- Health centres
- Sub-district hospitals and nursing homeNursing homeA nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
s - District hospital and private hospitals
- Provincial hospital
- National hospital
Dispensaries
The government runs dispensaries across the country and are the lowest point of contact with the public. These are run and managed by enrolled and registered nurses who are supervised by the nursing officer at the respective health centre. They provide outpatient services for simple ailments such as common cold and flu, uncomplicated malaria and skin conditions. Those patients who cannot be managed by the nurse are referred to the health centres there.Private clinics
These may be registered by the clinical officerClinical officer
Clinical officers are health care providers who practice modern medicine. They practice independently but may be supervised by a physician in some settings....
s council, nursing council or the medical practitioners and dentists board depending on the proprietor’s qualifications. Clinical officers require ten years experience in order to open their own clinics. They are usually small units, often with a medical laboratory, which offer a wide range of services depending on the training of the proprietors.
Health centres
These are medium sized units which cater for a population of about 80,000 people. A few are owned by mission hospitals. They are managed and run by Clinical officerClinical officer
Clinical officers are health care providers who practice modern medicine. They practice independently but may be supervised by a physician in some settings....
s who are the team leaders. A typical health centre is staffed by:
- At least one Clinical officerClinical officerClinical officers are health care providers who practice modern medicine. They practice independently but may be supervised by a physician in some settings....
- Nurses
- Health administration officer
- Medical technologistMedical technologistA Medical Laboratory Scientist is a healthcare professional who performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid , peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial...
- Pharmaceutical technologistMedical technologistA Medical Laboratory Scientist is a healthcare professional who performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid , peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial...
- Health informationInformationInformation in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
officer - Public healthPublic healthPublic health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
officer - NutritionistNutritionistA nutritionist is a person who advises on matters of food and nutrition impacts on health. Different professional terms are used in different countries, employment settings and contexts — some examples include: nutrition scientist, public health nutritionist, dietitian-nutritionist, clinical...
- Driver
- Housekeeper
- Supporting staff
All the health centre staff report to the Clinical officer in-charge except the public health officers and technicians who are deployed to a geographical area rather than to a health unit and report to the district public health officer even though they may have an office at the health centre.
The health centre has the following departments:
1. Administration block; where patients register and all correspondence and resources are managed from.
2. Out-patient consultation rooms where patients are seen and examined by clinical officers.
3. In-patient (wards) where very sick patients can be admitted. The wards are divided into male, female and paediatric with newborn units.
4. Laboratory where diagnostic tests are done. These laboratories can do the following tests- bloodslides for malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
parasites, sputum AFB
Acid-fast
Acid-fastness is a physical property of certain bacteria, specifically their resistance to decolorization by acids during staining procedures.Acid-fast organisms are difficult to characterize using standard microbiological techniques Acid-fastness is a physical property of certain bacteria,...
, urinalysis
Urinalysis
A urinalysis , also known as Routine and Microscopy , is an array of tests performed on urine, and one of the most common methods of medical diagnosis...
, full haemogram, stool ova and cyst
Cyst
A cyst is a closed sac, having a distinct membrane and division on the nearby tissue. It may contain air, fluids, or semi-solid material. A collection of pus is called an abscess, not a cyst. Once formed, a cyst could go away on its own or may have to be removed through surgery.- Locations :* Acne...
s, blood sugar, Elisa
Elisa
Elisa Toffoli is an Italian singer-songwriter, performing under the mononym Elisa. She is one of few Italian musicians to write and record mainly in English. She draws inspiration from many genres such as pop, alternative rock, electronica and trip hop...
and CD4
CD4
CD4 is a glycoprotein expressed on the surface of T helper cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. It was discovered in the late 1970s and was originally known as leu-3 and T4 before being named CD4 in 1984...
counts in comprehensive care centres for HIV/AIDS patients.
5. Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
6. Minor theater where minor surgical procedures are done e.g. Circumcision
Circumcision
Male circumcision is the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin from the penis. The word "circumcision" comes from Latin and ....
, stitching wounds and manual vacuum aspiration
7. Maternity
Maternity
Maternity or motherhood is the social and legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a mother and her child.It is specially related with the protection of the baby and the mother within and after the childbirth.-See also:...
8. Maternal and child health
9. Kitchen and catering
10. Student hostels for rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
health training centres where students go to get rural experience.
Sub-district hospitals'
These are similar to health centres with addition of a surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
unit for Caeserian section and other procedures. Many are managed by clinical officers. A good number have a medical officer and a wider range of surgical services.
Nursing home
These are owned privately by individuals or churches and offer services roughly similar to those available at a sub-district or districtDistrict
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
hospital.
District hospitals
Each district in the country has a district hospital which is the co-ordinating and referral centre for the smaller units. They usually have the resources to provide comprehensive medical and surgical services. They are managed by medical superintendents.Provincial hospitals
KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
has eight provinces each with a provincial hospital which is the referral point for the district hospitals. These are regional centres which provide specialized care including intensive care and life support and specialist consultations.
National Hospitals
There are two national hospitals in KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
namely
- Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) and
- Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Major causes of morbidity and mortality
- HIV/AIDS
- TuberculosisTuberculosisTuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
- MalariaMalariaMalaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
- Pneumonia
- Respiratory tract infections
- Road accidents
- Factory accidents
- GastroenteritisGastroenteritisGastroenteritis is marked by severe inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract involving both the stomach and small intestine resulting in acute diarrhea and vomiting. It can be transferred by contact with contaminated food and water...
- Diabetes mellitusDiabetes mellitusDiabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
Maternal and Child Health Care
In June 2011, the United Nations Population FundUnited Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund is a UN organization. The work of the UNFPA involves promotion of the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. This is done through major national and demographic surveys and with population censuses...
released a report on The State of the World's Midwifery. It contained new data on the midwifery workforce and policies relating to newborn and maternal mortality for 58 countries. The 2010 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births for Kenya is 530. This is compared with 413.4 in 2008 and 452.3 in 1990. The under 5 mortality rate, per 1,000 births is 86 and the neonatal mortality as a percentage of under 5's mortality is 33. The aim of this report is to highlight ways in which the Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015...
can be achieved, particularly Goal 4 – Reduce child mortality and Goal 5 – improve maternal death. In Kenya the number of midwives per 1,000 live births is unavailable and 1 in 38 shows us the lifetime risk of death for pregnant women.
The ministry of health
Has its headquarters at Afya house in NairobiNairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
.
There are two ministers:
- The minister for medical services
- Minister for public health
Each minister has two assistant ministers and a permanent secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
Director of medical services (DMS)
- Provincial director of medical services (PDMS)
- Provincial medical officer of health(PMOH)
- Provincial health management board (PHMB)
- Provincial health management team (PHMT)
- Provincial hospital managent team (P-HMT)
District medical officer of health (DMOH)
- District health management board (DHMB)
- District health management team (DHMT)
- District hospital management board (D-HMB)
- District hospital management team (D-HMT)
Health centre management committee (HCMC)
- Health centre management board (HCMB)
- Health centre management team (HCMT)
Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK)
The Nursing Council of Kenya is a body corporate established under the Nurses Act Cap 257 of the Laws of Kenya to regulate standards of nursing education and practice in Kenya. It protects the public by promoting standards of clinical care through training, licensure and enforcement of codes of regulation.Pharmacy and Poisons Board
The Pharmacy and Poisons Act, Cap 244 is an Act of parliament to make better provision for the Control of the Profession of Pharmacy and trade in drugs and poisons.The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) is established as a body corporate, under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, Cap 244 Laws of Kenya. The PPB is regulatory body within the Ministry of Medical Services. It is a body corporate under Section 3(6), and the de-linking process is on-going.
National hospital insurance fund (NHIF)
Membership is compulsory to all salaried employee with voluntary membership to those in self-employment. Contributions range from Ksh 160 to a maximum Ksh 320. However plans are underway to compute contributions as a percentage of ones salary. When members or their declared dependants fall ill and are admitted in accredited hospitals, they are only required to pay the balance of the bill after the rebate has been calculated. The rebate varies depending on the hospital status and ranges from ksh 400 to ksh 2,000 per day.Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)
A state corporation that carries out medical research in Kenya. It collaborates with foreign research organisations such as CDCCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
, Wellcome trust, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
This article is about the U.S. Army medical research institute . Otherwise, see Walter Reed .The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research is the largest biomedical research facility administered by the U.S. Department of Defense...
etc.
Private Health management organisations
Private companies which offer additional health cover usually including outpatient cover which is not covered by the NHIF. They include:- AARAAR-Aviation:*AAR Corporation, an American aviation engineering company*"Air-to-air refueling", also known as aerial refueling, the practice of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight*AAR, IATA airport code for Aarhus Airport in Tirstrup, Denmark...
- Jubilee InsuranceJubilee InsuranceJubilee Insurance Company Limited , commonly referred to as Jubilee Insurance, is a leading insurance company in East Africa. The company maintains its headquarters in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, with subsidiaries in Burundi, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Uganda...
- Alexander Forbes Healthcare
Careers and training
- Medical officers and Clinical officerClinical officerClinical officers are health care providers who practice modern medicine. They practice independently but may be supervised by a physician in some settings....
s. - PharmacistPharmacistPharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
s and Pharmaceutical technologists - Nurses are holders of a 2½-year certificate (enrolled), 3½-year diploma (registered) or 4-year bachelors degree (BSN)
- DentistDentistA dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
s and Dental technologistsMedical technologistA Medical Laboratory Scientist is a healthcare professional who performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid , peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial... - Medical technologistMedical technologistA Medical Laboratory Scientist is a healthcare professional who performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid , peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial...
s are trained by the Kenya medical training college, national polytechnics, universities or private colleges. - Radiographers
- NutritionistNutritionistA nutritionist is a person who advises on matters of food and nutrition impacts on health. Different professional terms are used in different countries, employment settings and contexts — some examples include: nutrition scientist, public health nutritionist, dietitian-nutritionist, clinical...
s - Public healthPublic healthPublic health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
officers and technicianTechnicianA technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skills and techniques, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Experienced technicians in a specific tool domain typically have intermediate understanding of theory and expert...
s degree (4 years), higher national diploma (1 year) diploma 3 years and certificate 2 years - Health information officers
- Orthopedic technologists
- Medical engineers
- Hospital administrators
- Physiotherapists