By Dorothy Musyoka
Members of the National Assembly have raised concerns over the inadequate treatment facilities for Endometriosis, a chronic and painful condition affecting millions of women across Kenya.
During a parliamentary session, MPs called for immediate action to address the shortage of specialized treatment centres and trained medical personnel to manage the condition.
The discussion was sparked by a statement request from nominated MP Hon. Irene Mayaka, who highlighted the challenges faced by women suffering from Endometriosis.
In response, Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Health, Hon. (Dr.) Robert Pukose, read a letter from the Ministry of Health, dated August 12th, 2024.
The letter outlined the government’s efforts to improve Endometriosis care, including the training of 700 gynaecologists and five laparoscopic gynaecological surgeons, as well as plans for public awareness campaigns.
The Government has invested in the training of Gynaecologists. Currently there are about 700 hundred registered gynaecologists working in different parts of the country both in public and private. We have five (5) trained laparoscopic gynaecological surgeons mainly based at National Referral Hospitals. Equally the government has invested on the availability of laparoscopic equipment for use by the experts” read the statement.
Despite these assurances, lawmakers voiced dissatisfaction, with many arguing that the government’s efforts fell short of addressing the scale of the problem.
Hon. Irene Mayaka pointed out that the current resources are grossly insufficient.
“Having only 2 public facilities and 5 trained laparoscopic surgeons specialising on this matter is simply not enough. This is one of the procedures that is very expensive with surgeries costing between Kshs 350,000 to Kshs 1 million per surgery. If you look at the number of young women suffering from this condition, the government must do much more.” Hon. Mayaka stated.
Mombasa County MP, Hon. Zamzam Mohamed, echoed these concerns, noting that many women have resorted to using herbal remedies due to the high cost and lack of available medical treatment.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Hon. Gladys Shollei and Mbita MP Hon. Millie Odhiambo emphasized the importance of listening to the women suffering from the condition.
“Believe me, it’s the women who are authority in their bodies and many women are living with pain,” added Hon. Shollei.
In his closing remarks, Hon. Pukose urged the House to take swift action.
“There are only two government facilities equipped to handle laparoscopic treatment for Endometriosis – Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital. We need to equip more facilities in each county and train more specialists to ensure accessible care for all affected women,” he said.
The MPs called for the Ministry of Health to fast-track the establishment of Endometriosis Centres of Excellence, increase public awareness, and ensure the availability of affordable treatment options, particularly through the Social Health Insurance Fund.