latter as it summarizes how I feel for my
country.
I know a lot of people may not think of
the word ‘patriot’ when they think of civil
servants but if one could understand some
of the extreme hardships they go through
one may reconsider their position.
When a person is employed by the civil
service you sign an oath for state secrets
and a letter stating that you are prepared to
work in any part of the country. What the
service does not take into consideration is
what it costs someone to live in a hardship
area or away from their family and there
is no form of motivation other than some
hardship allowance that can be as measly
as a thousand bob depending on the job
group. Many Civil servants have literally
risked their lives to serve the nation and
its people either directly or indirectly.
We as the medical fraternity have always
welcomed and will continue to welcome
foreigners to come and exchange ideas
and knowledge with us. Modern medicine
is fast paced and to keep up we cannot
close ourselves and work in isolation. So
it is with this spirit that I will honestly say
that we do not object to the coming of our
Cuban colleagues. What we object to is the
manner in which it has been done and the
timing. Even as we speak some colleagues
on contract are being threatened by their
respective governors that they may have to
renegotiate their terms downwards if they
want them renewed.
I genuinely congratulate the government
for it has tried to educate its medical
workforce and a few fortunate doctors have
even been trained abroad courtesy of the
Government of Kenya. The challenge has
been that after the training, infrastructure
and supportive human capital are either
minimal or non-existent. Corruption
has ensured that awesome projects and
equipment are grounded hence services
are either minimal or not available.
Healthcare is expensive. To understand
how expensive healthcare is, get a
perspective on what the cost of healthcare
is. A fine example is Switzerland and
their retired citizens on pension are still
expected to pay the equivalent of KShs.
100,000/= per month for a couple on
their health insurance. This is not the
least expensive and neither is it the most
expensive insurance but that is the cost of
healthcare.
I genuinely congratulate the government for
it has tried to educate its medical workforce
and a few fortunate doctors have even been
trained abroad courtesy of the Government
of Kenya. The challenge has been that after
the training, infrastructure and supportive
human capital are either minimal or non-ex-
istent. Corruption has ensured that awesome
projects and equipment are grounded hence
services are either minimal or not available
We can’t change and become Switzerland
overnight however why is it so hard for
the government to implement the Abuja
Declaration? 15% of the budget should
be devoted to healthcare. Countries that
have managed to do this have managed to
improve their health indicators drastically.
In Kenya the allocation ranges between
6-8% maximum and yet people want us
to believe that there is a serious push to
improving healthcare.
Then there is free maternity, now called
‘linda mama’ and free services for under
fives. These are all noble initiatives however
you starve the hospitals of income or limit
user fees and make services inaccessible as
consumables are not able to be purchased.
So how did we arrive at this current state
of affairs where Cubaneros are more
important than your current workforce?
During the last doctors’ strike in 2017,
that lasted 100 days and saw union
leaders arrested and jailed the union was
threatened with the arrival of Tanzanian
and/or Cuban doctors. At that particular
point the government was unable to
recruit these said colleagues based on the
requirements for foreign trained doctors
to be accredited.
Having
trained
outside
for
my
undergraduate I remember vividly going
through tough board exams and worse
internship (done by all medical doctors
in their respective countries). It was only
after this process that I earned the honor
to treat people in Kenya. Why is this being
flouted to have foreigners treat us without
undergoing any form of certification?
What is so special about them and if this
be the new way of doing things can all
Kenyans who are studying abroad then be
exempt from this rigorous process. Also
can all Kenyans who have undergone this
painstaking internship be compensated
for the terrible torture we underwent
while trying to get registration as medical
practitioners.
The government has stated that the
process was consultative and involved
stakeholders. Why then are we crying
foul as we don’t know anyone other than
maybe ministry officials and governors
who may have been present during such
“consultation.”
For years the ministry has grappled with
deployment of staff to hardship areas.
Yet in the same regions such as Dadaab,
Kakuma, aid agencies and NGOs have
managed to deploy all cadre of staff and
most importantly doctors up to specialist
level. They have understood that people
must be compensated appropriately. The
perks our Cuban colleagues will receive
are spectacular. Here again I agree with
the government for recognizing the fact
this is the pay grade at which doctors
should enter and