How Jayesh Saini is supporting UHC

Bliss Healthcare started the Telemedicine Program in the year 2020 and is one of their biggest success stories in support of universal health coverage (UHC).

Two years ago, the Kenyan government piloted a universal health coverage (UHC) programme in four of its 47 counties, easing access to health services for millions of people.

The universal health coverage (UHC) has since added more than 200 community health units, with 7700 community health volunteers and over 700 health workers have been recruited. The first year of the pilot phase saw over 1.6 million more hospital visits recorded.

The abolition of all fees at local and secondary level [county referral] health facilities widely expanded access to health services in the four pilot counties that were selected because of a high prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases, high population density, high maternal mortality, and high incidence of road traffic injuries.

Jayesh started his career in the family-owned Nairobi West Hospital, a world-class 260-bed fully-fledged medical facility. In almost 20 years, he has invested greatly in healthcare. Besides Bliss, he owns Medicross Ltd, comprising 22 outpatient centers equipped to offer comprehensive quality services.

In 2017, Mr Saini and his wife Dr Shalya added inpatient care by setting up two hospitals under LifeCare Hospitals Ltd. In line with his passion, he is currently setting up another 6 facilities geographically spread in Kenya bringing total bed capacity to 2000.

Just like there are schools in every corner of the country, there are Bliss Clinics in 45 out of the total 47 counties. Bliss Healthcare is providing the kind of professional-quality healthcare that teachers deserve, in the same way that teachers are dedicated to their work.

Bliss Healthcare is in the forefront, supporting the Government of Kenya’s initiative of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through providing affordable quality services spread throughout the country.

Bliss Healthcare is exceptional in that besides offering the regular healthcare services of Doctor Consultation, X-Ray, Ultrasound, Well-Baby Clinic and Consultant Clinics, it has unique programs like Bliss at Home Services (Home consultations, delivery of drugs or pick up of lab samples), Telemedicine Services and Chronic Disease Management Program at very affordable rates.

Telemedicine is the delivery of health care services using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to bridge the physical distance between patients and health care providers.

The World Health Organization is supporting the government by providing technical assistance in key areas including health financing such as reforming the national hospital insurance fund, developing and using information on financial risk protection as well as supporting the establishing a digital health platform and a national health observatory.

“We saw people access the services to a much greater extent than they had done before. This tells me that there were people that avoided going to health facilities even though they need the services because they feared the financial cost of such a visit. Ensuring adequate health workforce, improving skills, health facility financing as well as subsidizing medical costs for low-income households and part-funding health insurance schemes are critical in sustaining universal health coverage” says Dr Rudi Eggers, WHO Representative in Kenya, notes that launching universal health coverage at the local level and funding health facilities are the key achievements of the pilot phase

Chronic diseases especially Hypertension and Diabetes are on the rise contributing to about 50% of disease burden globally. The Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Program at Bliss takes care of over 21,000 patients with various chronic illnesses.

Bliss Healthcare is also committed to giving back to the communities it serves through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities such as Medical Camps, free Health Talks, and Donations to children’s homes and so much more.