Page 54 - SACCOStar Mag Vol 46 Press_txt.pdf

DOCTOR’S CHRONICLES

Exploring affordable JGCNVJECTG

The health sector in 2019 is full of discussions on various
topics ranging from The Big 4 agenda, universal health
coverage launch and roll out, health workers strikes,
effects of devolution on the health outcomes and the recent
discussion on the cost of doctors’ fees, as well as drug costs.

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Despite the varied angles taken, all the topics are geared the payer, the provider and the patient, which ends up being
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services. This is happening after many corporates were no
longer able to pay premiums for their employees in 2018, due Brand versus Generic
to high costs in the wake of an economically tight year.
It has been peddled that generic medications are substandard,
6HSGKHUHMFTMCDQ@CNKK@Q@C@X@RQDONQSDCAX4-("$% an unfortunate assertion. Brand drugs as popularly referred to,
Kenyans are a medical bill away from a dilemma of which are ‘original’ drug names with the manufacturer having been the
basic need to prioritize. One would imagine that the rest of ?QRSSNHMSQNCTBDSGDLNKDBTKDSNSGDL@QJDS
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the population is safe but going by the number of medical TRT@KKXG@RRODMSXD@QRNEQDRD@QBGNMSGDD?B@BX@MCR@EDSX
appeals on our dailies and on social media, the cost of health of the molecule, marketed the end product and paid heavily for
services is a topic we all need to soberly have. It is an emotive licensure of the same. Further, there is need to invest in heavy
issue- maybe because it’s a matter of life and death, literally. machinery for monitoring and evaluation, once released in the
However, we need to drop the emotions and soberly seek market. Because of these huge costs, they are then accorded
solutions that are sustainable, which means accountability on years of monopoly in the market, time in which they are meant
the part of all stakeholders. to recoup their investment. After the designated period, other
manufacturers are then allowed to manufacture the same
A recent directive from an insurance company to restrict @BSHUDHMFQDCHDMSL@HMS@HMHMFSGDRS@MC@QCR@RE@Q@RD?B@BX
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was met with a lot hostility from both providers and patients. QDRD@QBGBNRSHRN?BGD@ODQO@BJ@FHMFBGD@ODQK@ANQBNRSRHE
#HRBTRRHMFVHSGCH?DQDMSHMCHUHCT@KRVGN@QDADMD?BH@QHDRNE the manufacturing plants are set in countries with lesser taxes
the said insurance cover, it was clear that the patient is feeling etc. This is what is referred to as generic drugs. This is meant to
lost, short-changed and restricted, making them suspicious. increase accessibility of the drug to a larger populace.
Two executives of corporate organizations mentioned their
intention to shift insurers once their medical covers lapses. Generics aren’t to be confused with counterfeit drugs. Most of
the drugs given in public hospitals are generics but of reputable
This saddens me because with proper information, this is a PT@KHSX RS@MC@QCR
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huge opportunity to have sectoral interventions that will see market, a product packaged to resemble a known drug but
a solution not only for the payer (patient or insurer), but also BNMS@HMHMFMNMDNQKDRRNESGD@BSHUDHMFQDCHDMSQDPTHQDC
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for the patient, as well as the pharmaceutical industry. This G@R @?DBSDC E@LNTR CQTFR KHJD @MSHL@K@QH@KR RDW DMG@MBHMF
will be the entry to the discussion on sustainability of the drugs and the morning after pill in the market. This mostly
Universal Health Care (UHC), prosperity of National Hospital @?DBSRSGDGHFGUNKTLDLNUHMFCQTFRHMSGDL@QJDS

Insurance Fund (NHIF) management, if we can manage the
trade habits around health. We need to discuss taxation of For a continuation of this informative topic, be sure to get a
health commodities, the myriad of middle men in the supply copy of the next issue of the SACCO STAR magazine!
chain of medications in the country, leading to exorbitant costs
of treatment. I don’t believe in free things because someone #Q
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has to pay for it. If you have a corporate insurance cover, the Sante-Reva Healthcare. She is a specialist in corporate
GHFG BK@HLR KD@C SN GHFG OQDLHTLR VGHBG @?DBS SGD ANSSNL wellness and stress management.
KHMD NE NQF@MHY@SHNMR SGTR @?DBSHMF XNTQ ANMTRDR NQ R@K@QX Email:drzena@santereva.com
increment. The current approach is one of mistrust between

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