Who's behind them?

I thought it was unethical to advertise medical services...

@Mukiha, I think this is an initiative of PSI. They have always pushed the limit on advertising if their trust condom ads are anything to go by. Not sure of the legality of advertising for these clinics though.

Anyone in wazua who has used them?

@ Magigi, the cost of healthcare Kenya is definitely high and I must admit we could do with an organization that provides reasonable healthcare services at a near gava hospital-ish cost. I therefore have no problem with this since I have long hoped that someone will introduce a low cost primary healthcare model which really works.

Advertising medicine and advertising clinics or medical facilities in my view are totally different. I don't really see the difference between a medical facility advertising on one hand and a doctor advertising his cheap clinic on the other. This is a rather thin line PSI is walking. I remember there was a time that some Dentists had issues with having their names next to/on signs of advertising Colgate or some other toothpaste.

Behind Tunza Clinics is PSI, USAID and UKAID.

Yes, it is unethical to advertise medical services. Lately in Kenya it seems that the regulators are sleeping on the job and even professional organisations are endorsing commercial products. That is beyond the point though.

Research groups want a stake in weak health systems so that they can continue churning out academic research and have free access to uninformed research subjects. These groupings have published a profusion of literature showing why better pay for doctors is not the best motivator of health workers in Kenya. In fact, there is a research group that has championed the use of cheap clinical officer labour through intricate research on "Physician substitutes".

Tunza clinics are an implementation of these kinds of agendas and primarily use clinical officers and nurses in delivery of their services.

In the home countries of these funders, healthcare is delivered within the established government system. These kinds of "clinics" would never see light of day. Worse still they would not receive any patients.

Why can't this group of funders channel their funds through the more than 2000 clinics and dispensaries that exist in the ministries of public health and medical services??

CO's are just like nurse practioners and physician's assistants elsewhere. They are a great tool for expanding healthcare access but this shouldn't have any bearing on the government increasing the doctor/patient ratio.

WTH????

The Tunza concept is a brilliant idea if you ask me. We all agree that the government health system is rotten to core, having been decimated by corruption and ineptitude. Our brothers and sisters continue to die of preventable diseases which a simple clinical officer or an experienced nurse could manage in a simple set up at a reasonable cost. We are talking of guys asking for Kshs 150 - 200 here which is god sent for most of Kenya's poor. The reason they can charge so low is because the providers are less qualified - and therefore offer basic healthcare - and also because PSI and the donors subsidize the cost of basic equipment, lab etc. PSI then set up treatment protocols etc.

I have long hoped that Kenya would have an 'Equity Bank' model of healthcare. I certainly hope the Tunza model will get people thinking about this.

You guys can take your kids to Aga Khan and Gertrudes simply because you can afford it, then trash the efforts of those are truly trying to make a difference to Kenyans dying of malaria, typhoid Etc. Guinea pigs indeed!!