TNH Excellence Award for Corporate Social Responsibility for the GIPAP Clinics

The Nairobi Hospital has received an Excellence Award for Corporate Social Responsibility from The International Hospital Federation due to the Glivec International Patient Assistance Programme (GIPAP) Clinic.

Glivec is a drug used in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISI). It is an expensive drug which would be out of reach for most patients in Kenya. Novartis Pharmaceutical together with Axios International a healthcare management company and Max Foundation have made it possible for patients in developing countries to get access to the drug at no cost. Patients meet the cost of the confirmatory test and are recruited into the programme to receive the drug at no cost.

The GIPAP started in Kenya in 2002 in two centres: the Nairobi Hospital and the Aga Khan University Hospital. Currently, the clinic takes place at The Nairobi Hospital, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu, Nakuru County Referral Hospital in Nakuru, Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital in Mombasa and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

Prof Nicholas Othieno-Abinya the KESHO Co-founder has led the GIPAP clinics since the inception till date.