Responses By Kenyan Managed Healthcare Organizations To The Challenges Posed By HIV/AIDS Pandemic
Abstract
The study looked into the responses by Kenyan Managed Healthcare organizations to the
challenges posed by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Specifically, the study attempted to
identify the challenges the HIV /AIDS pandemic has presented to Kenyan Managed
Healthcare Organizations and the strategies these organizations have developed to
respond. to these challenges. A cross sectional census survey of Kenyan Managed
Healthcare organizations was conducted. The population of interest was the eleven
Managed Healthcare Organizations that were awaiting registration by the Commissioner
of Insurance. The data was collected using a structured survey questionnaire that was
personally administered to the CEO's IMD' s as well as various departmental heads of
each of the Managed Healthcare Organizations. Two organizations were found to have
recently ceased operations in Kenya hence nine organizations were operational. Only six
responded to the questionnaire. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive
statistics like proportions and mean scores.
The study revealed that the main business challenges HIV /AIDS pandemic presented to
managed healthcare organizations included the high cost of treatment of HIV and related
conditions, pressure to offer more services to HIV positive people and tendency of
doctors to treat HIV related conditions within the context of plans in which HIV is
excluded. The main strategy employed by the managed healthcare organizations was the
exclusion of HIV related treatment. The extent of application of this strategy is however
different. The high cost of treating and managing HIV/AIDS related ailments was singled
out as the major reason for excluding HIV related ailments.
The challenge of the high cost of treatment of HIV has implications 011 the
recommendations of the study. Managed Healthcare Organizations would need to
continue excluding HIV/AIDS related treatment while offering medical plans to
companies with limited budgets. However added benefits could be offered to these
patients. Efforts must however be made to convince companies to extend their medical
budgets in order to take on medical plans that would cover HIV/AIDS related treatment
as this had great benefits.
Citation
Master of Business AdministrationPublisher
University of Nairobi School of Business