KENYA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION MANDATE ON POLICY MAKING

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KMA POLICY MAKING ROLE
KMA has the mandate of monitoring and regulating health practitioners, advising the government, other medical bodies and the general public on matters related to health. KMA is also mandated by its members to promote quality practice of medicine in Kenya. KMA should be in the forefront on matters affecting health in the country. Despite KMA’s mandate, it is clear that its role has not been well represented. KMA holds a strategic position in health sector policy by being in membership of national decision-making boards for the practice of medicine and the protection of patients in Kenya.

During the survey by KMA Membership Committee in Nairobi Division conducted in June 2018, it was clear that doctors need KMA to do more when it comes to monitoring and regulating health related matters. This survey was conducted under Chairmanship of Dr. Macharia Waruingi of Ubrica, Convener of Membership Committee, Media Outreach Committee and Medical Camps Committee, Nairobi Division, KMA. Preliminary results of the survey show various concerns raised by the doctors who participated.

It is critical that KMA is also taking part in approving of medical institutions, equipments , practitioners and medical information being gazetted, since most of this is done by other regulatory bodies. Doctors who participated in the survey proposed different ways KMA can get lead in its mandate in medical industry in Kenya:
 KMA should be the one developing management guidelines for various clinical conditions. This is because in KMA that’s where the professional are.
 KMA should be participating when it comes to gazetting health or medical issues. Data affecting health should not be passed without KMA approval.
 KMA should also be involved in policy making.
 Though the Medical Board has the legal mandate of determining health training institutions curriculum, KMA should be approving the curriculums before they are rolled out to the institutions.
 KMA should determine who pursues which course. This will ensure those who are studying medicine and other health related courses have qualified. It will also guarantee preservation of the profession and not allow it to be taken by people with less training. The public health field for example, has been invaded by all manner of under graduate degrees and the doctors have been pushed out.
 KMA should be making decisions on equipment procurement. On regard to this, KMA can establish equipment depo where doctors can take equipments on loan and pay slowly. KMA will have better rates while purchasing equipments as compared to individual doctors.

Complete KMA Member Satisfaction/Needs Assessment Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7K5GFDY

Join conversation on KMA Telegram group for in-depth updates here: https://t.me/joinchat/I1wWcki3NO3hlHs_zz9SWg

Guidelines For Highly Effective Medical Camps in Kenya Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HR6XDX6

Join Ubricoin Telegram Group https://web.telegram.org/#/im?p=c1262298390_5891675953416153455

Find Clinical Proceedings from Hospitals of Kenya https://jghcs.info/index.php/cphk

Ubrica Official Discussion Group on Telegram https://web.telegram.org/#/im?p=s1208873027_15507959344907715567

Author,
Caroline Muthoni Ndigirigi.

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