Broken systems, lost lives
Nurses and health workers at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital demonstrate in Nakuru. It is despicable that most of the deployed doctors in the periphery keep to selflessly support and toil in the broken system and amid labour exploitation.
Most healthcare workers are ever striving to do the right thing to offer care services to the best of their ability to humanity. Kenyans want one thing: A functional and healthy healthcare system.
What ails our healthcare can best be articulated if those on the delivery and receiving side can speak out about them.
But we are treated to bread-and-butter circuses as the Senate Health Committee pockets sitting allowances to re-look deeper into the sickness of our care systems.
I strongly opine that the senators should close the inquiry and sit to enforce immediate implementation of all past Senate Healthcare Crisis Reports and Recommendations. A good place to start would be the 2012 Musyimi Taskforce Report.
We also hear that medical interns are well paid. That is a half-truth. These are doctors who provide crucial support services at most public and private hospitals.
That they are paid so well to perform their duties, we highly commend the national government.
Doctors' shortage
Meanwhile, most county governments are grappling with acute shortages of doctors with a very low doctor and specialist-to-population ratios.
It is despicable that most of the deployed doctors in the periphery keep to selflessly support and toil in the broken system and amid labour exploitation.
Labour exploitation must end. All work must be remunerated with commensurate labour protection as guided by Article 27 of the Constitution: Every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law. Notably, Article 41 provides that all persons have a constitutional right to fair labour relations.
We do have good laws and, as per the Employment Act of 2007, Section 5(4), discrimination in employment is forbidden. Section 12 of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) Act, 2011 provides that equal remuneration be paid for work of equal value.
Discrimination in the workplace is unacceptable. It is time to strengthen healthcare delivery systems.
Dr Mundia, a maxillofacial surgeon and lawyer, is the deputy national chairperson, KMPDU. [email protected].
