Embu teachers turn to traditional medicine amid growing health crisis
Teachers in Embu County are turning to traditional healers for treatment after being locked out of proper medical care under their insurance scheme, Minet.
According to the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), educators are grappling with a worsening healthcare crisis, with Minet failing to cover medical costs and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under the Social Health Authority (SHA) offering little relief.
KUPPET Embu County Secretary, Jacob Karuraa, sounded the alarm, revealing that the only private hospital in the county that had been serving teachers under Minet has now withdrawn its services due to unpaid claims.
This, coupled with ill-equipped public hospitals running out of essential drugs, has left teachers with no choice but to seek alternative treatment methods, including traditional medicine.
“The situation is dire. Teachers are suffering because they cannot access quality healthcare in either public or private hospitals. Without urgent intervention from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), we may be forced to take drastic action,” Karuraa warned.
With no viable healthcare options left, desperate teachers are now turning to herbalists and traditional healers – an indication of the depth of the crisis.
The big question remains: will TSC step in before the situation spirals further out of control?
The SG warned that they are considering taking decisive action against the Teachers Service Commission if no action will be taken.
