Patients suffering from cardiac conditions can breathe a sigh of relief after the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) launched the Initiated Cardiac Programme that will cater for their medical bills.
The programme which will be launched in seven hospitals that have the capacity to offer these much-needed surgeries, will see over 1400 patients who were on the NHIF list when it took over and began paying for them benefiting up to a maximum of Sh 500,000.
According to a statement the strategic partnership between NHIF and A&K Global Health, a reputable international health management organization, will go along way in assisting the patients who are in a bad condition, yet do not have the money to pay for the procedures and post-operative care.
Currently, there are only seven cardiothoracic surgeons in Kenya who can perform open heart surgery, and only six cardio-anesthetists and six perfusionists while the bed capacity at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stands at 74.
A&K Global Health CEO, Mr Stephen Makokha said that the program will be able to tackle the problem of cardiac disease and reduce the waiting period for heart patients at an affordable price
Makokha said: ‘’The Cardiac Program is a result of years of concerted effort by NHIF to address both financial and clinical hurdles to Kenyans by utilizing local expertise of doctors and state-of-the-art medical equipment found locally in our hospitals. The program is expected to tackle the problem of cardiac disease and reduce the waiting period for heart patients at an affordable price.”
Makokha added that the programme will act as a great catalyst as it will encourage medical tourism which will allow citizens of other African countries to visit Kenya for their medical needs rather than travel overseas for expertise available within the continent.
