Health Service Commission

The medical fraternity is a happy lot following the unveiling of the report prepared by the building bridges inititative task-force. Many medical students, professionals and bodies representing medical professionals find the inclusion of a proposal to create a Health Service Commission as a step towards the right direction in settling the disputes that have been experienced between county governments and the medical professionals since health became a devolved function.

If the proposal is undertaken, Health Service Commission(HSC) will be in charge of the human resourcing element in the health sector. This has a rippling effect of ensuring that the scarce resource of medical practitioners and specialists is evenly distributed across the country.

Other proposed amendments that directly affect the health sector include;

• It is proposed that health function should remain with the counties and funds should follow functions.
• A stronger focus on preventive and primary care.
• NHIF administrative costs to be cut down sharply by leveraging on technology, cutting down on corruption and increasing productivity. This administrative costs should be at 5-10%.
• Introduction of Patient’s Bill of Rights to tackle the following issues: Billing is filled with corruption and inflations when Kenyans are at their most vulnerable. If implemented no hospital will hold people forcefully. Also, there would be consequences of misdiagnosis. All hospitals will be obligated to stabilise emergency cases. As a medical practitioner, you will be required to owe every patient polite and considerate service.

There are other proposals in the BBI report which are important as a Kenyan citizen to familiarise yourself with.