This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
By Judy Kobe
Published on September 23, 2019
The Need for Nutritional Management in Kenya ¶
Nutritional management is a critical aspect of individual and national health promotion. Emerging clinical concerns have highlighted the need for proper nutritional management, particularly in the clinical space.
Nutritional supplements and foods for special medical purposes are essential in this context. These products provide essential nutrients that may otherwise not be consumed in sufficient quantities, such as vitamins, mineral elements, and amino acids.
Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs) are evidence-based nutritional preparations for dietary management of specific disorders or disease-related medical conditions. They are intended for patients with a limited, impaired, or disturbed capacity to take, digest, absorb, metabolize, or excrete ordinary foods or certain nutrients or metabolites.
FSMPs are used under a wide range of settings, including hospitals and clinics. They can partially or entirely replace a normal diet to provide patients with the essential nutrients to survive, recover, and thrive.
However, the lack of proper regulation and classification of these products has led to mislabeling as food supplements. This has subjected them to high import taxes, making them too expensive for patients who depend on them.
As a result, affordability of healthcare products is a challenge to many Kenyans, especially those with chronic and terminal illnesses whose feeding is dependent on such forms of dietary supplementations. Deaths have resulted from malnutrition and starvation as patients cannot afford the medical foods.
It is time the tax regime on FSMPs was reviewed. Rwanda's taxes are the lowest, at 0.2 per cent, while in Europe, FSMPs are not taxed.
