NJAMBI KOIKAI ON HOW ENDOMETRIOSIS AFFECTED HER HEART, LUNGS AND CAUSED ACUTE ANAEMIA

As March marks world endometriosis month, radio personality Njambi Koikai reflects on her own journey battling the debilitating disease and calls for increased awareness and action to support those affected. 

Six years ago, Koikai underwent a life-altering surgery due to endometriosis, a condition that had ravaged her body, affecting her heart, back, appendix, teeth, gums, lungs, diaphragm, and causing acute anaemia. Despite numerous surgeries, it wasn’t until seeking treatment at the Center for Endometriosis Care in Atlanta that the full extent of the disease’s impact was revealed.

“I am deeply saddened by the prolonged diagnostic process that many endure with endometriosis,” Koikai states. “The delay often allows the disease to spread throughout the body, leading to additional complications and suffering.”

Koikai expressed urgency for early diagnosis and specialised treatment and emphasises the need for a multidisciplinary approach to diagnose and treat the disease. “There’s a story of a teenage girl who has Endometriosis. The disease spread to her eyes. So every month while she’s on her menses, she bleeds from her eyes. Endometriosis can also spread to your finger-nails and during that time of the month, your fingers bleed.“

Koikai stresses that endometriosis can affect women of all ages, including those post-childbirth and during menopause. “After 19 years of excruciating pain, I received a diagnosis, but the journey to recovery has been arduous and costly,” Koikai explains. “Endometriosis is not only physically draining but also financially burdensome, particularly for those without medical insurance.”

She urges the Kenyan government to prioritise endometriosis awareness and treatment, emphasising the need for more trained specialists and accessible care. She calls upon women parliamentarians to advocate for policy changes addressing endometriosis, as it is a leading cause of infertility and cervical cancer. “Period pain is not normal, and it’s time we stop normalising it,” Koikai asserts. “We must break the silence surrounding endometriosis and ensure that those affected receive the support and care they deserve.”