Transforming Healthcare in Kenya: The Rise of Home-Based Care

Benacare’s innovative approach to affordable, compassionate medical support for families battling chronic illnesses is reducing costs and improving care at home.

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Healthcare in Kenya poses a significant financial and emotional burden on families, especially those grappling with chronic illnesses like cancers and cardiovascular diseases. These conditions are on the rise, affecting over one million Kenyans living below the poverty line as the cost of hospitalization is exorbitant, driving families deeper into a financial crisis. The World HealthOrganization reports that 5.1% of Kenyans spend more than 10% of their household income on healthcare, highlighting the urgent need for affordable alternatives. Fortunately, there's a promising alternative: home-based care.

Recognizing this need, Benacare was founded in 2016 and has emerged as a key player in Kenya's home-based healthcare landscape. Madiro has chosen to partner with Benacare because of their innovative health-care delivery model: delivering affordable and reliable clinical and supportive care directly to patients' homes.  Their mission, encapsulated in the tag line"Healthcare at your doorstep," aims to make healthcare accessible to middle and low-income communities facing chronic and life-threatening illnesses.

Benacare’s research found that providing care to patients in their home may cost 52% less than hospital care, while providing higher satisfaction levels in patients. By addressing this need with their services they not only support health equity, but also ensure that quality care reaches those who need it most.

To achieve widespread impact, Benacare has built a robust network of healthcare workers that is accessible through their proprietary mobile app. This technology allows them to efficiently match patients with nearby nurses and provides access to essential homecare equipment like hospital beds and oxygen concentrators at a fraction of the cost.

Beyond clinical care, the organization empowers families by training caregivers in basic skills such as wound care, medication administration, and vital signs monitoring. This support enables families to confidently manage caregiving duties, reducing dependence on expensive hospital services.

Benacare's services encompass a wide range of healthcare needs including home nursing, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. They also specialize in kidney health and diabetes care, pioneering home-based renal replacement therapy to reduce the environmental impact of traditional dialysis treatments.

Benacare also collaborates closely with community leaders and healthcare providers to expand their reach. They engage village chiefs and religious leaders to identify underserved communities and build referral networks with doctors and consultants. This collaboration extends to partnerships with healthcare innovators enhancing access to tele-consultations, home blood tests, and medicine delivery for Benacare's patients.

Since its inception, Benacare has served nearly 15,000 patients, trained 1,342 family caregivers, and generated significant healthcare cost savings totalling $50million, which amounts to approximately $5,000 per patient.

Amidst rising healthcare costs in Kenya, initiatives like Benacare are crucial. As Benacare continues to expand its footprint and impact, it remains committed to its founding principle: to deliver compassionate, accessible home-based healthcare that empowers patients and their families, offering hope and relief in the face of medical and financial adversity.