Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has called for a review of how the Social Health Authority (SHA) caters for women living with endometriosis.
The senator cited concerns over the cost of treatment and limited specialist capacity in Kenya.
She highlighted the case of media personality Natalie Githinji, who is recovering after being diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis and is seeking financial support to facilitate her treatment.
Nyamu said Githinji’s experience was a reminder of the many women silently battling the condition and the need for a broader national conversation on endometriosis.
Karen Nyamu pushes for action on SHA for endometriosis patients
” I am committed to taking this conversation further. Interrogate whether SHA adequately meets the real cost of endometriosis care, push for national data and specialist capacity, and listen to the women living through it,” Nyamu stated.
“Today, @nataliegithinji is recovering after being diagnosed with Stage IV endometriosis and is seeking financial support for treatment. Her story is another reminder of the many women silently battling this disease”, she added.
Additionally, the Nairobi senator revisited her advocacy for improved awareness and treatment of the disease, noting that she raised concerns in July 2024 when the Senate honoured the late Jahmby Koikai for her advocacy.
According to Nyamu, Kenya did not have reliable statistics at the time on the number of women living with endometriosis, highlighting a gap in national data that she believes needs to be addressed.
She further said that the issue should not be viewed through a political or public relations lens but as a national health concern requiring practical solutions to improve the lives of women affected by endometriosis.
