In a democratic system, through votes, we decide what kind of government we want. In order to woo the voters, political parties set such an agenda that helps them to get votes and ascend to power. But it is a different question of whether they can fulfill their promises.
Education and health are real assets for any society and form the basis for inclusive and holistic development. Despite this, they have continuously been ignored by governments.
Being healthy is important for any person to work and contribute to the development of society. Kenya's infant mortality rate is 31.771 deaths per 1,000 live births. This is 3.47 per cent less than in 2021. Kenya's infant mortality rate was 32.913 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021, which was 3.36 percentage points lower than in 2020.
Due to poor planning and weak infrastructure, malaria, tuberculosis, heart diseases, diabetes, cancer and other diseases were neglected at the height of the Covid pandemic. According to independent estimates, 5,678 people lost their lives due to Covid in Kenya.
As a result of the high cost of Covid tests, thousands of Kenyans were not tested and some people died while sitting at home. The deaths from Covid might be higher in Kenya because many of them were never reported.
The truth is, the insurance-based healthcare system has failed to provide comprehensive health services to the people and instead has become a tool to fill the pockets of the corporate sector with public money.
It is important that the government fulfills its health responsibility with a commitment to evidence-based scientific healthcare. Unfortunately, healthcare is not a priority agenda for any political party.
The government should strive for universal health care and declare health a fundamental right. This should be its main agenda.
The insurance-based healthcare systems should be abandoned and the public health system strengthened. All treatments, examinations and services should be provided free of charge or at a very low cost so that anyone can afford them. Medical staff, including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, and workers should be appointed on a permanent basis. All temporary workers should be confirmed.
Equal distribution of doctors should be ensured in rural and urban areas. Medical education should be given only in the government sector. Good nutrition should also be ensured through appropriate measures under the Food Security Act.
Vaccination should be free for all girls and women to prevent cervical cancer. Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR combined vaccine), Rotavirus, Smallpox, Chickenpox, and Yellow fever should be included in the universal immunisation programme.
Political parties are driven by public opinion. Therefore, it is necessary for civil society and public organisations to raise their voice on the issue of the fundamental right to health and for every political party be forced to demand the fundamental right to health as their priority agenda.
Mr Flora is a veteran journalist and freelance writer based in Brampton, Canada
