Looming crisis in the health sector
The Central Organization of Trade Unions, COTU (K) wishes to urge the Kenya Government to immediately intervene
and engage the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentist Union, (KMPDU) over the massive exodus of trained doctors from our Public Hospitals that has been reported across the Country.
Whereas the World Health Organization, (WHO) recommends a doctor for every 1000 people, Kenya with a population of over 40 Million people boasts of hardly 3,300 doctors in our Public Health Centres and now with reported increased resignation of doctors from our health facilities, this number is bound to drop further to an estimated 2000 by mid this year according to COTU (K)’s latest research from our Economics and Research Department and should this trend be allowed to go on, it would prove catastrophic to the Country’s Health Sector.
It is important that the Government reviews its position on addressing the terms and conditions of service for our medical doctors with a view to retaining them in Government employment lest as a Country we are in danger since most Kenyans’ incomes would only allow them to seek medication in Public Hospitals as the cost of seeking the same from Private Hospitals and individuals is beyond their means.
The KMPDU jointly with COTU (K) are willing and ready to engage the Government on the matter and ensure there’s a mechanism in place to retain the doctors in Government employment including negotiating out possible and agreeable pay packages other than witnessing a situation where no single doctor would be available to attend to thousands of Kenyans that would require their services
Francis Atwoli, EBS, MBS
SECRETARY GENERAL
