Embu leaders are calling upon the Ministry of Health to reconsider the decision of barring a 24 year old university student from travelling to India for kidney transplant.
The leaders said that it is the right of every Kenyan to seek treatment anywhere they feel there are specialised services.
The political leaders said they would be writing to the Cabinet Secretary for Health Cecily Kariuki compelling her to revisit the decision by her Ministry.
"If members of parliament are going out of the country to seek medical attention, why would an ordinary Kenyan be stopped from seeking specialised medical services from outside," wondered Steve Simba, Runyenjes central ward member of county assembly.
Further, Simba added that if the government is not going to allow the patient to travel to India then his treatment cost should be waived.
"If they are not going to allow the patient to seek treatment abroad then they should cater for all his transplant costs," he said.
The leaders noted that the country lacks capacity to treat some complex diseases.
"Our importing of Cuban doctors shows that we lack capacity as a country to treat and handle some health complications," said the leaders.
Runyenjes constituency Member of Parliament Eric Muchangi said that it is the right of everything citizen to seek and access health care both within and out of the country.
"We would urge the ministry to reconsider its position," said Muchangi.
The ministry of health had said such service are available in Kenya and there is no need of Kenneth Kinyua travelling outside the country.
Kinyua – an Information Technology student at Mt Kenya University - was diagnosed with stage five kidney failure last year and has been surviving on three dialysis sessions every week
The 24-year-old is dangerously underweight. He was 65 kilogrammes in August 2017 but he currently weighs 30 kilos.
"He underwent three surgeries last year, I think this led to his kidneys failing," said John Kandia, his guardian.
Kinyua comes from Kangari village of Runyenjes constituency in Embu county.
The family will be holding a funds drive on August 12 in Runyenjes to raise Sh3 Million.
The funds will be to cater for transplant which has been scheduled to be done at Agha Khan hospital.
-Martin Fundi