KMPDU urges government to employ 5,000 doctors to bridge shortage
KMPDU Officials North Rift Region
By Wambui Kamau
The Kenya Medical Practitioners’ and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) North rift region has urged the government to employ close to 5,000 doctors who are unemployed in the country despite the acute shortage of Doctors in most of the Health facilities across the region.
Speaking During the KMPDU annual general meeting held in Eldoret ,The health practitioners led by Organization’s Secretary Dr. Kamonzi Mulei, castigated the government over the employment of Cuban doctors while Kenyan doctors remain unemployed.
“More than 5,000 Kenyan doctors are unemployed and Cuban doctors are being brought into the country to fill up some of the existing job opportunities. We appeal to President William Ruto’s Administration to reverse the move as it demoralizes many of our locally trained doctors who are yet to be employed” Said Dr Mulei.
These sentiments have strongly been supported by the KMPDU chair Dr. Darwin Ambuka who has also urged the newly appointed Cabinet Minister and Principal secretary in charge of health to consult widely on matters remuneration of health workers,
“We are requesting the newly appointed principal secretaries to seek information on health care matters concerning doctors’ salaries and the existing collective bargaining agreements before they make any hurried decisions concerning the same,” said Dr Ambuka.
Dr Ambuka has affirmed the need for the County Governments within the North Rift region to employ more Doctors to bridge the existing gaps within the healthcare sector,
“it’s surprising to have foreign doctors employed in Kenya at the expense of our locally trained doctors who are yet to be employed, Said Ambuka.
The KMPDU Liaison officer Dr, Zaietuni Akajoroit, has pointed on the ned to improve of the Health infrastructure within the region and the need for t he county governments to build more health facilities to improve on access to health care for all Kenyans,
“Most of the healthcare facilities are in despair. We urge the government to pay attention to the performance of healthcare facilities in terms of equipment and infrastructure. We also have a large population in the country therefore we need an increase in the number of healthcare facilities for enhanced healthcare services to the public,” said Dr Akajoroit.
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