Gov’t raises flag over health workers ‘migration’

The government has expressed its concern over the rising number of doctors leaving public hospitals for the private sector.

According to the Health Principal Secretary Dr. Khadijah Kassachon the trend has adversely affected the sector with patients feeling the effects.

Dr. Khadijah mentioned that poor working conditions, poor remunerationand lack of continous training as some of the major causes for the vice.

She added that there was need to harmonize the salaries and working conditions for doctors and address training as one way of improving health services in the country.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop for county chiefs of health at the Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha, the PS said the only way Kenya can gain from medical tourism is through improving health facilities and addressing challenges facing health workers.

Supporting her sentiments, Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, who was the chief guest, expressed his concern by saying the salaries paid to Kenyan doctors and nurses are shameful and there is need for a housing policy the national and county levels.

The governor assured the attendants that his government was committed in improving health services noting that he had allocated 33 percent of the county budget to health.

He challenged Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to increase its capacity for timely deliveries adding that this was affecting supply of medication to various health centers.

On his part, Nakuru County Deputy Governor Joseph Ruto said there was urgent to address the issue of doctors’ salaries, promotions and inter-county transfers.

Ruto added that county leaders were having sleepless nights due to the frequent industrial actions by health workers adding that this should come to an end.

“Currently we are under staffed mainly in health facilities that were constructed through CDF but we are committed to addressing this,” he said.

Report by Karanja Kimani