The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists’ Union has expressed concern over deteriorating health services in the country, following the resignation of 1,800 medics from government hospitals. National chairman Samuel Oroko said patients are being referred to private health facilities due to the lack of medics.
Oroko said that in Nandi county, 19 doctors resigned from government hospitals. They include 12 medical officers, two surgeons, a paediatrician and two pharmacists. The union said many medics quit due to mismanagement and poor working conditions.
Oroko said Nandi is one of the regions seriously hit by shortage of personnel as the 19 are yet to be replaced. “They resigned due to poor terms and lack of implementations of previous CBAs signed between the Health ministry and the KMPDU to ensure automatic promotions every two years,” he said. Oroko spoke after attending the union’s Nandi branch luncheon at Tortoise Hotel in Kapsabet. He said poor management and lack of a clear defined structures for promotion have made medics look for better jobs.
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