A QUALITATIVE ESSAY SUBMITTED AS A PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF A
DEGREE IN NURSING
Student number: 00841602
TOPIC: EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN HEALTHCARE
1. INTRODUCTION
Equity and Inclusion are terms that are more often held closely together in value, and
they remain to be the core principles in healthcare delivery systems. To understand
equity and Inclusion, we need to first understand diversity that naturally exists in
modern day human societies.
Diversity refers to the difference in composition of a population encompassing
different social identity groups that are described by unique characteristics such as
country of origin, race, gender, age, religion, disability, socioeconomic status,
culture, and language.
Equity in healthcare refers to offering a fair opportunity, treatment, and access to
proper services to all members of a society while at the same time identifying and
dropping barriers that are because of diversity. It is not about giving everyone the
same resources but what they need to overcome barriers.
Inclusion refers creating an environment where individuals, patients and staff alike,
can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and can have an equal opportunity to take
part fully without bias regardless of their diversities.
My essay shall lay focus on Kenya where I have practised professionally in the
healthcare industry.
The Constitution of Kenya and the Kenya Health policy (2014-2030) sets up that the
provision of healthcare as a fundamental human right and pillar of economic
1
DEGREE IN NURSING
Student number: 00841602
TOPIC: EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN HEALTHCARE
1. INTRODUCTION
Equity and Inclusion are terms that are more often held closely together in value, and
they remain to be the core principles in healthcare delivery systems. To understand
equity and Inclusion, we need to first understand diversity that naturally exists in
modern day human societies.
Diversity refers to the difference in composition of a population encompassing
different social identity groups that are described by unique characteristics such as
country of origin, race, gender, age, religion, disability, socioeconomic status,
culture, and language.
Equity in healthcare refers to offering a fair opportunity, treatment, and access to
proper services to all members of a society while at the same time identifying and
dropping barriers that are because of diversity. It is not about giving everyone the
same resources but what they need to overcome barriers.
Inclusion refers creating an environment where individuals, patients and staff alike,
can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and can have an equal opportunity to take
part fully without bias regardless of their diversities.
My essay shall lay focus on Kenya where I have practised professionally in the
healthcare industry.
The Constitution of Kenya and the Kenya Health policy (2014-2030) sets up that the
provision of healthcare as a fundamental human right and pillar of economic
1
