Kagwe puts private hospitals on a spot over cost of services, calls for reduction

Health Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe. [Samson Wire. Standard].

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the government is working at bringing down the cost of healthcare in the country to make it affordable for all.

According to the CS, affordable healthcare is not only about cost but also the quality of services offered.

“The business model that private and faith-based health institutions use must change. We must standardise and harmonise these procedures," said Kagwe.

Giving an example of a procedure that costs Sh4,000 in a government hospital, Kagwe said costs have been inflated in private facilities to an extent the same procedure would go up to Sh400,000.

At the same time, Kagwe said the government will embark on mass Covid-19 vaccination campaigns tomorrow.

The CS said the number of vaccinated Kenyans is still very low compared to other African nations.

Continued decline 

"We have now seen a continued decline in hospitalisations, fatality and positivity rates. The deaths witnessed are those who have not been vaccinated," said Kagwe.

Kagwe made the remarks as he launched English Language Training programme at Kenya Medical Training Institute (KMTC) in Nairobi.

The training programme is as a partnership between Britain and Kenya and takes six weeks.

Last year October, Kagwe announced that some 300 nurses had failed the mandatory English language proficiency test. According to the CS, only 10 out of 300 health workers who applied for the jobs with the UK's National Health Service (NHS) passed the exams.

Deputy British High Commissioner to Kenya Josephine Gauld said the English training programme is a key step in enabling Kenyan nurses to access more employment opportunities in the UK healthcare systems.

The programme, which has already with 25 students in physical class and 250 online, will help Kenyan nurses looking for jobs outside the country communicate better.