Senator pledges Bill to revert health to national government

Nyamira County Senator Mong’are Bw’Okongo has pledged to propose a Bill that will revert the management of health to the national government.

He has, however, said that the immediate solution to the ongoing strike would be for President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto to stop crisscrossing the country and address the ongoing medical workers’ strike.

The senator said that the strike, which has paralysed services in all public health institutions of the country, deserves the attention of the highest office of the land.

Speaking after he opened a community library at Kenyenya Market in West Mugirango constituency, Nyamira County, Bw’Okongo asked the president to call for a meeting that will negotiate with the medics so they can return to work and help suffering patients.

He said that he would table a National Health Commission Bill once the House, which is in recess resumes to bring an end to future mismanagement of the sector.

The Bill, if enacted, seeks to be the lasting remedy to problems in the sector.

He said that health should be run just like education if the country is to prosper.

The strike, which entered day four on Thursday, December 8 has seen doctors threaten a total shut down of all clinical services in private, mission and public health facilities for 24 hours next Tuesday if no deal will have been reached by Monday, December 12 midnight.

In a statement to newsrooms, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) said that the government has up to Jamhuri Day (Monday) to resolve the issues raised by the unions, failure to which they will paralyse all medical services.