President William Ruto on Monday said many Kenyan households live under the threat of having their savings wiped out by illness, with 36 per cent of the people being at risk of falling into poverty on account of huge financial expenditure.
Ruto said the State officials were aware of the drastic impact of non-communicable diseases, especially cancers, heart diseases and diabetes-related complications, noting that the government has made commitments to harness the post-pandemic recovery momentum to make significant progress in reversing and minimising the burden
Speaking after he commissioned the cyberknife machine that treats cancer at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), Ruto said the State aims to reform the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to become a social health insurance scheme that can support universal health coverage and expand its operational capacity
"Our commitments under the universal healthcare pillar of the bottom-up economic transformation agenda consist of well-considered interventions to ensure that we fulfil our obligation to deliver the best possible level of medical treatment and healthcare services affordably, efficiently and inclusively," said the President.
The latest equipment was acquired by KUTRRH at a cost of Sh675 million and can attend to 20 patients per day. It uses advanced technology to track tumours anywhere in the body.
The KUTRRH centre's diagnostic imaging technologies will deploy advanced robotic radiation treatment machines in cancer treatment.
This is done by locating, tracking and accessing tumours, that are ordinarily difficult to reach, with precision known as the cyberknife.
The technology is able to administer more radiation with great precision, meaning that fewer sessions (four to five only instead of 20 to 30) are required, with each session lasting only about five minutes.
Cumulatively, these lead to shorter recovery periods with minimal side effects. The State intends to sustain its investments and support for advanced diagnostic and treatment equipment to boost treatment and care for all people.
The cyberknife technology at KURTH was the second in Africa the other one being in Egypt. "This propels Kenya to the frontiers of advanced medical technologies and catalyses our strategy to quickly emerge as an advanced regional and international medical hub," said Ruto.
"Its location in a public hospital sends a strong signal to all Kenyans that it is no longer necessary to travel far away for advanced treatments that are now available, accessible and affordable."
The President said Kenyans who are already covered under NHIF can receive radiation therapy without paying any top-ups. Ruto said the State was committed to integrating preventive and promotive healthcare into universal healthcare coverage and also building a transparent and efficient supply chain management system to promote telemedicine and establish health management information systems.
He said KURTH's diagnostic imaging facilities have processed more than 6,000 patients since they came into operation. This has saved Kenyan families more than Sh10 billion.
Ruto announced his government's decision to make available 30 acres of unutilised land to the World Health Organisation for the development of a regional health emergency hub and training centre for Africa.
