In their sunset years, most of the elderly in Kilifi have experienced I’ll health and suffering from different kinds of illnesses, some directly attached to their dwindling age.
Most of them have been suffering from different diseases like diabetes, cough and sore throats, stomach disorders, and arthritis among other diseases.
However, in Kilifi and in a bid to address these challenges, an organisation has come up with a program targeted at giving the elderly free medical services in various parts of the county.
The organisation, Khairat Medical Foundation has at the moment registered 150 elderly in their program, where they are the recipients of free drugs and medical check-ups.
The program is dubbed ‘Khairat Elderly Medical Scheme.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke during a free medical cp organised by the agency at Mrima Wa Ndege in Ganze constituency said the organisation came to their rescue after suffering for many years battling different illnesses.
According to Kalume Thoya who is one of the beneficiaries, the Khairat elderly scheme has helped him access treatment free of charge and wants it to continue reaching many of them cuddled in the remote villages, suffering without any assistance.
“I have been experiencing chest pains for many years until I heard about this organisation. Today I have received drugs free of charge. I am very happy because this medicine will help me recover from my problems,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Ms Dama Kombe who has also been experiencing persistent stomach upsets and chest pains for more than ten years.
“Sometimes, I would go to the hospital but found no drugs. With my ailing health, it has been difficult for me to carry out my daily duties. But we are happy that Khairat came for us and we have today received free drugs. This has saved the cost of getting these drugs in our health facilities,” she said.
Khairat Hospital CEO Mohamed Mahfoodh said they were touched by the plight of the many elders in Kilifi who could not access proper healthcare care resulting in many suffering in silence. That he said prompted the hospital through its grassroots health workers to identify 150 needy elders to be included in their elderly health scheme program.
“We discovered that most of the elderly ranging from 70 years and above would come for medical services at our hospital in Kilifi looking lonely and dejected. Most of them had no cash to pay for health services. That is when we discovered that there was a problem and through our foundation and my team started to look for ways of assisting them. We realised that there were many suffering in their villages without medical care, and that is how we came up with this scheme,” said Mahfoodh.
He called on the government through its social protection program to register these elderly in the NHIF system so that they can also get these services.
” We have been doing it but we are also overwhelmed because the numbers keep on increasing. That is why we are asking those in charge of the elders in the government position to consider them under the NHIF. We are at the moment treating 150 elders under our system but the numbers keep increasing and we are currently overwhelmed. So there is a need for them to also be registered under NHIF,” he added.
Khairat Medical Centre operations manager
Abubakar Mohamed said the program started three years ago with a monthly budget of between Sh250,000 and Sh300, 000 but that has now increased to more than Sh500,000 per month due to the increased cost of drugs.
“We would wish both the county and the national government, donors and well-wishers to see how they can also come in and assist these elders because those seeking these medical care are increasing by the day,” he said.
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