2,000 doctors have quit public service
What you need to know:
- The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union expressed fears more could quit soon if operations within the health ministry are not streamlined.
- In some of the cases, seven doctors resigned at once in a hospital in Meru.
- Union Secretary-General Oluga Ouma aid doctors were unhappy with poor and delayed salaries and promotions.
Close to 2,000 doctors have quit public service since last year because of their alleged poor treatment by county governments.
The exodus has been blamed on the chaos caused by transfer of the health function to the counties.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union expressed fears more could quit soon if operations within the health ministry are not streamlined.
Union Secretary-General Oluga Ouma aid doctors were unhappy with poor and delayed salaries and promotions.
“Lack of sponsorship for doctors to undertake professional training has also contributed to the problem,” said Dr Ouma in Naivasha yesterday.
“You cannot burden doctors and yet make no efforts to address the many challenges facing them. That is why about 1,800 have left,” he added. “If doctors will continue to be neglected as is the case currently, virtually all counties, then public hospitals, will soon have no physicians.”
In some of the cases, seven doctors resigned at once in a hospital in Meru.
“In Taita Taveta, nine quit within nine months and another 12 quit in Siaya in a period of four months,” Dr Ouma added. In Lamu County, all doctors resigned, citing insecurity.
“There are efforts to bring in more equipment. This is good, however, they are lying idle as doctors leave,” said Dr Ouma.
He said several counties had advertised positions for doctors yet they were not getting responses as physicians shy away due to poor terms and conditions of service. Union treasurer Daisy Korir said: “The health sector is in a shambles because governors are treating doctors like unskilled workers.”
