Doctors in the country yesterday revived their call for the government to honour its promise on addressing a range of issues they have been raising for months now.

The health professionals said that the lack of proper response to their plight risks undermining the implementation of Universal Health Care (UHC). The UHC programme began in 2018 as a pilot in four of Kenya’s 47 county governments; Nyeri, Isiolo, Machakos and Kisumu. It is set to be rolled out countrywide in the near future.

Now, however, doctors are not happy with the way their Collective Bargaining Agreement with the national and county governments is being handled.

“We urgently call upon responsible authorities to honour their commitment, prioritise the welfare of our doctors, and take immediate steps to implement the CBA, ensuring that our healthcare systems can effectively serve those in need,” Kenya Medical Dentists Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General, Dr Davji Atellah said.

He raised issues with the way doctors are being dismissed and rendered in-dignifying contracts with no medical cover in the counties, especially in Nakuru, Embu, Busia and Kakamega.

“It is disheartening that those who work tirelessly to safeguard our citizens’ health are themselves left vulnerable and unsupported,” he said and advised that to protect the future of the healthcare system, it is imperative that government officials acknowledge their enormous worth.

Immense complexities

The doctors want fair treatment for healthcare workers and further called on the government to make investments in their welfare.

“All these immense complexities involved in achieving UHC will only be achieved by the deliberate investment in healthcare employment of the health workers,” Dr Atellah said.

The medics demanded that the government invest in healthcare in order to bridge the ever-widening gap between promises and the actual delivery of the service.

“Our call is not to abandon the UHC vision but to recognise and tackle the formidable challenges that hinder its realisation,” he said.