Natalie Githinji appeals for endometriosis treatment to be covered by SHA
By Paulette Mboga, July 24, 2026Media personality Natalie Githinji has appealed to President William Ruto to consider including comprehensive endometriosis treatment under the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying the cost of care remains too high for many women living with the condition.
She said patients continue to struggle with the cost of consultations, surgery, medication, and ongoing treatment despite the serious effects of the disease.
“My name is Natalie Githinji, and I have battled endometriosis for 17 years now,” Natalie Githinji said on Friday, July 24, 2026.
She explained that endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus grows outside the uterus. According to her, the disease can grow in any part of the body and has no cure. She said it causes unbearable monthly periods, heavy bleeding, fatigue, nausea, lower back pain, pain during sex, difficulty getting pregnant or infertility, irregular periods, and chronic pelvic pain.
“It is my wish that women get early diagnosis and treatment rather than spend years suffering from mental trauma before even getting to treat the actual disease,” Natalie Githinji said.
Improving support for patients
Natalie said many women are affected by endometriosis and called for more awareness to help people understand the condition. She said girls in high school may be diagnosed without knowing anything about the disease, only to learn later that there is no cure and that treatment is expensive.
“Today if you pass 10 women, 1 has endometriosis. Now imagine the girls in high school who have no clue about it, then get diagnosed and find out that it has no cure and treatment is still expensive,” Natalie Githinji explained.
She also appealed to the President to support an Endometriosis Awareness Campaign that would educate both women and men about the condition. She said such efforts would help break the stigma and encourage people to recognise that the disease is real and deserves urgent attention.
She further urged the government to improve support for patients by including comprehensive endometriosis care under SHA. Natalie said the financial burden of treatment is one of the biggest challenges facing women living with the disease.
“I also kindly ask that your government looks into improving support for endometriosis patients by considering the inclusion of comprehensive endometriosis care under SHA. For many of us, the financial burden of consultations, surgery, medication, and ongoing treatment is just as painful as the disease itself. No woman should have to choose between living with unbearable pain and affording the care she desperately needs. Please, please consider this cry for help from Women,” Natalie Githinji said.