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Tenderpreneurs ganged up against Universal Health Care- Raila blasts bad healthcare systems

Authors:

Mumbi Mutuko

Raila blasts weak healthcare system

Raila Odinga addresses state of healthcare in Africa

African Union envoy and ODM leader Raila Odinga blasted the state of healthcare in the continent.

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In a series of tweets on Sunday, the AU envoy noted that the novel coronavirus has exposed the bad state of healthcare in the continent.

Mr Odinga explained how greed affected the Narc government when it attempted to institute Universal Healthcare in Kenya.

"We attempted Universal Health Care under the NARC and the grand coalition governments. But “tenderpreneurs” ganged up against it," the ODM leader said.

"NHIF must be strengthened to continue with the provision of comprehensive medical cover. We need to review domination of our healthcare by donors in terms of funding and agenda setting while Kenya boasts of a very highly trained health workforce," he added.

African Union envoy and ODM leader Raila Odinga
African Union envoy and ODM leader Raila Odinga Pulse Live Kenya

He further challenged the dominance of donations by foreign countries who are now facing serious challenges in combating Covid-19.

Wake up call for African leaders

"When donors are overwhelmed in their own countries as is the case now, we are left badly exposed.

"Kenyatta University students have challenged us that with encouragement from the government and private sector, innovation for healthcare can be done here, by us," he pointed out.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, African leaders have been forced to confront healthcare systems that they had neglected for years.

File image of medics attending to a Coronavirus patient
File image of medics attending to a Coronavirus patient Pulse Live Kenya

Most leaders in Africa seek medical treatment abroad, but since flights have been grounded and countries around the world on lockdown, chances are if they get sick they will have to use the broken systems they neglected.

Authors:

Mumbi Mutuko

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