By OLIVER MUSEMBI
Children with hearing impairments are set to benefit after the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) launched a Centre of Excellence for specialized ear and hearing care.
The hospital’s designation as a Centre of Excellence marks a major milestone in Kenya’s efforts to expand access to quality hearing health services under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme.
Speaking during the launch, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the facility will benefit millions of Kenyans with hearing disorders by improving access to comprehensive ear, nose and throat (ENT) services and reducing the need for patients to seek specialized treatment abroad.
Duale said that under the expanded benefits package of the Social Health Authority (SHA), patients requiring basic ENT procedures will be eligible for cover of up to Sh40,000, while those undergoing complex multidisciplinary surgeries will receive benefits of up to Sh800,000.
“The new designation is expected to enhance the country’s capacity to provide specialized diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for people living with hearing impairments while strengthening early detection and intervention services,” Duale said.
He revealed that KUTRRH has screened more than 900 children for hearing disorders, including 80 newborns, since January this year as part of efforts to promote early diagnosis and timely treatment in line with international best practices.
“It has been established that early screening is critical in identifying hearing loss during infancy and childhood, allowing prompt intervention that supports speech, language and cognitive development,” he said.
Duale added that the Ministry of Health is working to expand the SHA benefits package by incorporating additional audiology and rehabilitation services to improve long-term care for patients with hearing disorders.
He said the designation of KUTRRH as a Centre of Excellence would strengthen specialized ear and hearing care nationwide through enhanced partnerships, improved service delivery and expanded access to timely diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation, further advancing the government’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.
KUTRRH Chief Executive Officer Zeinab Gura said the expanded ear and hearing services reflect the hospital’s commitment to providing equitable access to quality healthcare and advancing inclusive health services.
“We have just witnessed the official handover of hearing aid equipment donated by the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and we have come from a moving walk-through at our ENT clinic where we saw these devices being fitted on needy children.
“These actions are a testament to what we can achieve together. KUTRRH has built one of Kenya’s few comprehensive paediatric hearing rehabilitation programmes,” she said.
Gura said that through the school hearing screening programme implemented in partnership with CHAI and the Ministry of Education, hearing aids have so far been provided to 95 school-going children, significantly improving their ability to learn, communicate and participate fully in society.
Separately, Duale dismissed as false reports that SHA owes county health facilities nearly Sh27 billion in unpaid claims.
He said SHA’s outstanding debt to county health facilities stands at Sh6.3 billion, adding that the amount will be settled within the next few days alongside other pending financial obligations.
“SHA owes county governments Sh6.3 billion. What you saw in the media is false, inaccurate and misleading. I can give you the breakdown. We know how much is in rejected claims and how many are return claims. It’s all digital; there’s nothing manual,” Duale said.
He added that SHA will, over the next few days, disburse a total of Sh16 billion to cover the public officers’ medical scheme, emergency care, the critical and chronic illness fund, and primary healthcare services.
Recent media reports had claimed that county health facilities are grappling with unpaid SHA claims amounting to Sh26.7 billion.
