This archive report was first published on 22 December 2019.
Published on December 22, 2019, a medical union in Kenya has sounded the alarm over a worrying trend of misdiagnosis of diseases in the country.
The Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO) estimates that three out of 10 patients in Kenya receive the wrong diagnosis or treatment, with HIV, H. pylori, and tuberculosis being the most common misdiagnosed conditions.
KNUMLO Secretary-General Enock Wanyonyi attributed the cases to poor quality testing, citing substandard rapid test strips for HIV as a major contributor to the problem.
Wanyonyi noted that many Kenyans have been wrongly put on anti-retroviral (ARV) medication, while others have been prescribed anti-TB drugs unnecessarily, leading to complications such as ulcers.
He also expressed concern over the high cost of the H. pylori kit, which costs Sh6,000, an expense that many cannot afford.
“Many are suffering in silence as the ministry has condemned them in the name of saving numbers to attract donor funds. Only the brave ones have dared to talk but the ministry is doing its best to silence them,” Wanyonyi said.
Wanyonyi further noted that the number of cases of misdiagnosis has increased since medical laboratory officers lack the capacity to offer quality services.
He also raised questions about the safety and quality of imported medical equipment, citing the Pharmacy and Poisons Board's admission that it does not have the capacity to validate equipment, a role that was assigned to it.
“It is very clear that equipment coming to Kenya is not validated so how sure of their safety can Kenyans be?"
KNUMLO wants the government to ensure that disease testing is only done by qualified personnel, using validated reagents and equipment, in accordance with world best practices.
KNUMLO Chairperson Cliff Randa also expressed concern over the preparedness for diseases such as Ebola and anthrax, citing the government's neglect of laboratory officers.
“Recently you heard of a malaria outbreak in Baringo and within two days, 20 people had died. Imagine [what would have happened] had it been Ebola or anthrax," Randa said.
"We cannot let citizens suffer yet we have the capacity to handle that which we were trained to."
