Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has submitted a draft motion to the Senate calling for stronger measures to improve the diagnosis, treatment and long-term care of people living with endometriosis in Kenya. The proposed motion focuses on several challenges that continue to affect access to appropriate endometriosis care, including limited specialist capacity, inadequate treatment facilities and gaps in health insurance coverage. Nyamu is calling for a more coordinated national approach that would make diagnosis and treatment more accessible to patients across the country. The proposal also places emphasis on medicines, medical equipment and public awareness as important parts of improving endometriosis care. Her move has opened an important conversation about how Kenya can strengthen its health system to better respond to a condition that can have a significant impact on the lives of those affected.
Nyamu said she had submitted a draft Motion on endometriosis to the Senate for formal drafting and refinement. She also invited views from women living with endometriosis and doctors who treat the condition, indicating that patient and medical perspectives should inform the development of the proposal. Her statement identifies four urgent areas that she believes require action from policymakers and health authorities. These include developing a national framework for endometriosis care, increasing the number of doctors trained to diagnose and treat the condition, improving the way endometriosis care is financed and following through on commitments previously made by the Ministry of Health. The approach places endometriosis within the wider discussion about access to specialised healthcare and the need for patients to receive appropriate treatment without facing unnecessary financial and logistical barriers.
One of the central proposals is the development of a national framework for endometriosis care supported by reliable data. Such a framework could help establish clearer standards for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up while also giving health authorities better information about the scale of the condition in Kenya. Accurate data can help policymakers identify gaps in services and determine where additional specialists, treatment facilities and equipment are most needed. It can also support better planning for medicines, training and public awareness programmes. By calling for a national framework backed by proper data, the motion seeks to move endometriosis care towards a more organised and evidence-based system.
The motion also calls for greater investment in specialist medical training, particularly for gynaecologists who can provide specialised endometriosis diagnosis, treatment and complex surgery. Endometriosis can require specialised assessment and treatment, making access to appropriately trained healthcare professionals an important part of improving patient outcomes. Nyamu has specifically called for capacity building through the training of more gynaecologists in endometriosis care, including complex surgical procedures. Increasing specialist capacity could help reduce delays in diagnosis and give more patients access to doctors with the skills required to manage complicated cases. It could also reduce the pressure on a limited number of specialists and make specialised services more accessible beyond major urban centres.
Another major concern raised by the proposed motion is the cost and financing of endometriosis care. Nyamu is calling for the Social Health Authority, commonly known as SHA, and private insurers to provide adequate coverage for the diagnosis, treatment, surgery and long-term management of endometriosis. Comprehensive coverage is important because managing the condition can involve several stages of care rather than a single medical consultation or procedure. Patients may require diagnostic assessments, medication, specialist consultations, surgery and ongoing follow-up depending on their individual circumstances. Stronger insurance coverage could therefore help reduce the financial barriers that prevent some patients from accessing appropriate care or continuing treatment.
Nyamu is also calling on the Ministry of Health to follow through on commitments made in 2024 to strengthen specialised endometriosis services in Kenya. These commitments include establishing specialised Endo Centres, training more laparoscopic gynaecological surgeons and providing the laparoscopic equipment needed to support specialised treatment. The senator also wants endometriosis medicines to be made available through social health insurance while strengthening awareness through Community Health Promoters and the media. Implementing these measures would require coordination between national health authorities, healthcare facilities, medical professionals and insurance providers. The focus on both specialised treatment and community-level awareness recognises that improving care requires action across several parts of the health system.
Public awareness is another important part of the proposed approach because greater knowledge of endometriosis can encourage people to seek medical attention when they experience symptoms that affect their daily lives. Awareness initiatives can also help communities better understand that persistent or severe symptoms should receive appropriate medical attention. Nyamu has called for awareness to be strengthened through Community Health Promoters and media platforms, which could help take information beyond hospitals and specialist clinics. Better public understanding could encourage earlier conversations between patients and healthcare professionals while reducing misinformation about the condition. It could also help families and communities provide better support to people who are undergoing diagnosis or long-term treatment.
The senator’s decision to seek views from women living with endometriosis is also significant because patients can provide direct insight into the practical challenges associated with accessing care. Their experiences can help policymakers understand where existing systems create delays, costs or difficulties that may not be fully visible through official health data alone. Doctors who treat endometriosis can similarly provide information about specialist shortages, equipment requirements, treatment pathways and other challenges within the healthcare system. Bringing these perspectives into the policy discussion could help ensure that any final recommendations respond to the realities faced by both patients and healthcare providers. It also creates an opportunity for the proposed national framework to be shaped by people with direct experience of endometriosis care.
The proposed motion comes as Kenya continues to develop its health financing and service delivery systems under the Social Health Authority. Ensuring that specialised conditions such as endometriosis receive appropriate attention within health financing structures can form part of a broader effort to make healthcare more accessible and responsive to patients’ needs. For people requiring long-term management, the difference between having coverage and facing significant out-of-pocket costs can affect whether they seek care and remain connected to treatment. Stronger coordination between the government, insurers and healthcare providers could help create clearer pathways for patients. The motion therefore links medical capacity with financing, equipment, medicines and awareness rather than treating endometriosis as an issue that can be addressed through a single intervention.
If the proposals advance through the Senate and lead to concrete policy action, they could help strengthen Kenya’s approach to endometriosis care. A national framework could provide direction, specialist training could increase medical capacity, specialised centres could improve access to appropriate services and better insurance coverage could reduce financial barriers. Making medicines and laparoscopic equipment more accessible would also support healthcare providers in delivering the treatment that patients require. Public awareness efforts could complement these measures by helping more people recognise the importance of seeking medical advice and understanding the condition. The success of such reforms would ultimately depend on implementation, funding, coordination and continued engagement with patients and medical professionals.
Karen Nyamu’s draft motion has placed endometriosis firmly on the Senate’s policy agenda by calling for practical improvements across diagnosis, treatment, financing and public awareness. Its focus on specialist doctors, specialised Endo Centres, laparoscopic equipment, medicines and insurance coverage addresses several areas that are central to improving access to care. The call to build a national framework backed by proper data could also give Kenya a stronger foundation for planning and measuring progress in endometriosis services. By inviting women living with endometriosis and doctors to contribute their views, Nyamu is also encouraging a policy process that includes the people directly affected by the healthcare system. The next stage will be to see how the draft motion is refined and whether its proposals translate into sustained action that improves the diagnosis, treatment and long-term care available to people living with endometriosis in Kenya.
