The topic of health is becoming much, and much more sensitive by the day, even as involved stakeholders try their best, to give it the required attention.
"My 3 sons are all suffering from Cerebral palsy"
In an effort to tame the deteriorating health condition and improve services in the country, President Uhuru Kenyatta included it as part of his Big Four agenda as he seeks to leave a legacy.
The President’s intention is to ensure that every single Kenyan has access to a medical cover by reviewing the rules governing the private insurance in Kenya.
Kezziah Wambui
Most Kenyans like Kezziah Wambui, a mother of three, have found it a big challenge accessing cheap medical services, for her three sons.
According to Kezziah, her sons aged 14, 11 and 6 years old were all born with Cerebral palsy, a condition, they all started displaying when they were six months old. They could not sit or stand.
She also said that her sons are not able to go for short or long calls, by themselves and they have to be in diapers, all the time.
After taking them to the hospital, doctors diagnosed them all with Cerebral palsy and recommended therapy for all of them.
“I took them to Nakuru Medical Hospital, they got tested and doctors said they all suffer from cerebral palsy and they advised me to continue taking them for therapy. I have been taking them for therapy at Bondeni AIC Church thrice a week, from Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They are supposed to be taken in for therapy every single day but I don’t have the financial ability to do that, because I pay Sh200 per child per session, which comes to around Sh2400 a month exclusive of transportation,” she narrated.
Kezziah who is referred to as Mama Peter by her friends added that she has been spending Sh900 per week taking his sons for therapy and bringing them back home using a Tuk Tuk.
Good Samaritan
The mother of three said that a Good Samaritan promised to pay for therapy for the month of May and their means of getting to the hospital and back home for a week.
Cerebral palsy is a group of permanent movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time. Often, symptoms include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors. There may be problems with sensation, vision, and hearing, swallowing, and speaking.
Appeal
Ms Kezziah is calling on well-wishers to help her raise funds to be able to pay for her sons’ therapy sessions.
She is also asking for cerebral palsy wheelchairs for her two sons, Peter Mbote 14, and Evans Ng’ang’a who is 11 years old. According to Kezziah, the two use wheelchairs for grown-ups which are very uncomfortable for them.
(Kezziah Wambui is based in Nakuru and can be reached through her personal number 0716707124)