A sudden demise that should have never occurred

When I was in grade 8, I lost a really close friend just before the long-awaited December holidays. She suddenly got ill with a cough which was accompanied with a fever. She went to the clinic and it was dismissed as the usual mild cough which would go away in a day. The next day, she started complaining about chest pains and her parents took her to the hospital. She was later diagnosed with pneumonia and was rushed to the ICU. On a cold Friday morning, we were told the sad news of her demise.
This tragedy could have been prevented if her healthcare providers had access to adequate resources and awareness about the critical indicators of serious health conditions. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Many people suffer or even die due to misdiagnosis or lack of prompt medical attention. The key to reversing this trend is to improve the quality of healthcare as soon as possible to save more lives.

 

Broken Chain of Accountability

The healthcare crisis that we are facing in Kenya is not the result of one failing part but rather a product of a deeply interconnected breakdown which affects every other part of the system. By doing a stakeholder analysis, it revealed that power, autonomy and agency are unevenly distributed. 

At the frontline, we have patients and healthcare workers who bear the heaviest burden. Patients are forced into the system by neccessity when they fall ill and their access to care is heavily dictated by wealth leaving the poor underserved and neglected (Johar et al., 2018).

We then have the government officials and hospital administrators further up the chain who control funding and make policies that determine how hospitals do their activities. Financial mismanagement at this level is catastrophic because it leads to creation of artificial shortages that negatively affect the quality of healthcare (Oyekale, 2017).

There are so many other stakeholders who hold power in this chain of accountability in between and I wish I would be able to dive into each one of them but it is very vast. Let us rather shift our focus to having patient-centered solutions.

 

First step
We are calling for a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the importance of quality healthcare. Awareness campaigns can educate healthcare providers, patients, and the public on the significance of early diagnosis and the dangers of overlooking symptoms. These campaigns should not only target professionals but also work to empower patients to advocate for themselves when they suspect something is wrong.

 

How it triggers systemic change and why it could work
Practically, such campaigns could include workshops, seminars, and the distribution of informative materials in clinics, hospitals, and schools. They could be spearheaded by health departments and involve collaborations with non-profits and healthcare professionals dedicated to improving health outcomes. Educating parents on home disease management has proven to be a working strategy for reducing the burden faced by overcrowded clinics which are understaffed (Kakai et al., 2009). Sharing data and evidence which are research-based  with communities also helps drive policy reforms by creating a bottom-up force for accountability (Daniels et al., 2017).

By equipping healthcare providers with the necessary education and resources, and by making communities aware of what good healthcare looks like, we can save lives and prevent families from suffering devastating losses.  We need your support to urge health authorities to initiate these awareness campaigns that emphasize the importance of quality healthcare by enforcing existing systems, directing funds appropriately and demanding accountability and transparency so that the money is properly used. Together, we can create a healthcare system that is preventative and responsive.

 

Call for action
Please sign this petition to push for change and ensure everyone has access to the quality healthcare they deserve. Your signature can help transform how health services are delivered and highlight the urgent need for ongoing education and awareness in healthcare. Let's work together for a healthier future for all. Follow my instagram for more information https://www.instagram.com/healthcare_quality_reform/

 

References

Daniels B, Dolinger A., Bedoya, G., Rogo, K., Goicoechea, A., & Coarasa, J. (2017). Use of standardised patients to assess quality of healthcare in Nairobi, Kenya: a pilot, cross-sectional study with international comparisons. BMJ Global Health;2:e000333. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000333

Johar, M., Soewondo, P., Pujisubekti, R., Satrio, H. K., & Adji, A. (2018). Inequality in access to health care, health insurance and the role of supply factors. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 213, 134–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.07.044

Kakai, R., Menya, D., & Odero, W. (2009). Supporting formal education to improve quality of health care provided by mothers of children with malaria in rural western Kenya. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 3(7), 548–553. https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.473

Oyekale, A. S., & 24095176 - Oyekale, A. S. (2017). Assessment of primary health care facilities service readiness in Nigeria. BMC Health Services Research, 17(1), Article 172. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2112-8