Healthcare is expensive, and this is true, no matter what country you live in. The difference might be in who pays what, as in some countries the state covers majority of the cost so that individual patients do not have to. Unfortunately, this is not the case In Kenya as even though there is an effort being made by the government, majority of Kenyans must opt for harambees to cover the costs of healthcare.
Women bear the biggest brunt of the burden when it comes to healthcare, both as patients and caregivers. It has been that a lot of women discover their cancer when it’s too late because they are so focused on taking care of their families that they put their well-being last. This is especially true for breast, cervical and ovarian cancers, which require a high level of vigilance and regular check-ups.
Women’s health is unique as women have more health concerns especially in the reproductive health bracket. There is a push to fund more research into women’s health as there is a shortfall when it comes to the information and treatment options available to women. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Women’s health is an example of population health, the health of a specific defined population.
WHO considers that an undue emphasis on reproductive health has been a major barrier to ensuring access to good quality health care for all women. Many of the issues around women’s health relate to reproductive health, but a broader understanding of women’s health to include all aspects of the health of women has been urged, replacing “Women’s Health” with “The Health of Women”.
Women also face additional barriers to healthcare such as difficult access to medical treatment due to gender barriers as well as socioeconomic factors. Women around the world have also complained about the disbelief of women when they relay their symptoms as they are taken to be exaggerations. These among other factors make it a challenge for women to enjoy adequate healthcare.
When it comes to health insurance providers, a number of women related health issues such as maternity and reproductive healthcare are either not covered or are covered at a steep premium. On top of that they are also usually placed in the pre-existing category, and so can only be fully covered after 1 year or sometimes 2 years of cover. Tests for life threatening conditions are usually not covered and must be paid out of pocket. These include pap smears and other reproductive health tests, and considering that these forms a huge part in staying vigilant
Insurance providers must make maternal healthcare, pap smears and other reproductive health tests, mental healthcare especially with the prevalence of postpartum depression and other women specific ailments a part of their immediate benefits for covers. Otherwise, they risk being left behind as their benefits are tone deaf to half the population.
There is some promise that there are insurers who are cognizant of the fact that women’s health is unique. Minet, through the Teachers’ Service Commission, has a cover that can be a blueprint for insurance service providers. All Kenyan teachers who are registered with TSC and are in active service are eligible. The registered teacher’s (principal member) cover extends to dependants – one spouse and 4 children (biological or legally adopted). The children are covered up to 20 years old if there is proof that the children are in a high school. There is no age limit for children with special needs.
The scheme benefits are graduated according to job groups, with inpatient cover ranging from Ksh 500,000 to Ksh 1,500,000 and are quite impressive as they cover things that even private insurance providers do not and do so without the pre-existing clause for chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, cardiac failure, schizophrenia, chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS related conditions, dialysis, occupational therapy and In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Other benefits include emergency road and air rescue including treatment abroad, maternity, dental, optical, psychiatric and counselling services and last expense of Ksh 100,000.
Even though the teachers are in theory covered by being registered with TSC, they still must register with Minet to activate the cover. Registration is simple and convenient as it is done through mobile phone:
- The principal member only needs to dial *865# from their Safaricom or Airtel line and follow the prompts.
- Enter their ID number, TSC registration number, name, role and gender.
- The next prompt is to add dependents, though this can be done at a separate time by still dialling *865#. To register dependents, you need to have their full name, date of birth, I.D. number of birth certificate number.
- When they make a visit to the hospital, they will need to do a biometric registration for ease to access of services.
- To find out which clinics and hospitals are under the scheme, dial *340# and follow the prompts to access the list based on the kind of service you are seeking. The recommendations are based on outpatient, inpatient, optical, dental and maternity and direct and referral hospitals from the Sub County and County levels.
