Inside Kenya’s Public Health Crisis

Kenya’s public health crisis, in its second month of a doctors’ strike, took an unlikely path on Monday, when the court jailed seven leaders of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) for contempt of court, a sentence reversed by the Court of Appeal two days later.

The seven are free but operations in public hospitals are nearly grinding to a halt as a reluctant government drags its feet to halt the worsening crisis.

A Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of between 150 to 180 percent pay rise, signed in 2013 is the genesis of a crisis that has to deaths of patients due to lack of services in a nation that prides itself in hosting the biggest referral hospital in Eastern and Central Africa!

The strike that has seen about 5,000 practitioners down their tools also seeks to push the government into addressing under-staffing and provision of quality services and facilities in public hospitals.

Sadly, as the stalemate continues, ordinary Kenyans are reeling from the dire consequences of a crippled public health system.

Dozens have so far died due to the strike despite the government playing down the figures.

The deaths have not however led to swift action from the government to call the medical practitioners to the negotiating table.

In 2012, doctors went on a strike over the deplorable state of the public health system, where patients come face to face with horrible conditions in search of services.

Poorly-equipped and remuneratedpersonnel, over-stretched services, in-adequate medicine, patients sleeping on cartons on the floor while many share beds, under-staffing and corruption are some of the sector’s biggest concerns.

Kenyatta National Hospital is the only public hospital that offers radiotherapy, which is a key part of most cancer treatment processes. Each session costs at least Sh 500, which is beyond the reach of most of the ordinary Kenyans.

Many of them require about 25 sessions! 

The cost at private hospitals such as MP Shah, Aga Khan and Nairobi Hospital averages Sh 10,000 per session, making it a preserve of the rich!

Cancer, like any other disease does not afflict only the rich who can afford treatment. It hits Kenyans from all walks of life. 

Woe unto to you if you can only fit in public hospitals; is the silent message from the government!

Both the central and county governments failed to put up Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines used to scan and detect cancer in patients. 

The total cost in all the 47 counties is about Sh 9.4 billion, yet much more billions have been looted at both levels of governments. 

Successive political leaderships have intentionally failed to improve the sector and the reasons are not far away.

Most of our politicians, top government officials and their families seek services in state-of-the-art private hospitals, which are beyond the reach of most Kenyans grappling with economic hardships.

They travel abroad for specialized care.

Two former Health ministers, Beth Mugo and Anya’ng Nyong’o once sought cancer treatment abroad. No better irony describes our neglected public health sector.

The two, just like other ministers and past governments had no interest in improving the sector.

When a nation’s Health minister travels abroad for medical services, it is a damning verdict of how poor the system is back at home!

While the two and many others sought quality medical services on foreign land, at least 22,000 Kenyans die annually from various types of cancer. There are at least 28,000 new infections each year.

Despite being one of the most important human needs, quality healthcare in Kenya is a preserve of the rich. Politicians, top government officials and their families and relatives belong here.

They are out of touch with the realities of a nearly-crippled public health system!

As the battle gets uglier by the day between KMPDU and the government, ordinary Kenyans are feeling the heat.

The government may not be in a hurry to strike a deal with its doctors. Granted, none of its officials seek treatment in these dilapidated facilities! They are meant for the ordinary Kenyan! 

The strike speaks more to the poor state of our public health system, neglected by successive governments.

Meanwhile, the crisis is getting dire by the day and ordinary Kenyans are paying with their lives!