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NAIROBI: Governors have rubbished a report by Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPD) that they had rejected 700 doctors posted in their counties, based on ethnicity.
The county bosses clarified that the process has been ongoing and has just been concluded.
The Council of Governors (CoG) which brings the governors together has been undertaking the recruitment exercise with the Transition Authority (TA) and the Public Service Commission (PSC), they noted.
“We have not discriminated any medical personnel along ethnic lines. These reports are not true,” said Council vice chairman Governor Salim Mvurya (Kwale).
He continued, “Counties are in need of doctors and the requests are channeled through the council. We have been in talks with TA and PSC on the recruitment model.”
Governors Mvurya stressed that no doctor has been rejected in any counties as has been reported in a sector of the media.
Council chairman Governor Peter Munya (Meru) also concurred with Mvurya, saying the absorption has been slow that they are employing, contrary to reports that the doctors are being turned away.
“Some many doctors graduate every year. Counties cannot employ all of them. There is also staff rationalization in counties despite the shortfall,” argued Munya.
He continued, “These doctors some are abandon county jobs for the private sector. It all boils down to the pay. Some start own practice, while others look for greener pastures outside the country.”
He posed! “we must be alive to these realities. World over, there is brain drain.”
The governors have instead argued that some counties in marginalised areas lack specialists and their efforts to recruit have been unsuccessful.
“We have advertised for these positions but we have been unable to recruit,” said Munya.
TA has threatened to sue county governments this week for rejecting the doctors and other medical personnel posted to them because of their ethnicity.
TA chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi said the authority will seek legal redress on the matter, arguing that the 70/30 per cent rule in employment must apply.
“What the county governments are doing in rejecting medical personnel purely on ethnic background negates the true spirit of devolution,” said Wamwangi.
He affirmed, “I am going to do something that will surprise everybody. A will move to court next week (this week) to challenge the decision.”
He confirmed that the Authority will also seek action against reported discrimination against health practitioners who have been given jobs by the devolved governments.
Senate committee on Devolved Government has indicated that the solution to this problem is coming up with a health policy that will enable counties to train and bond doctors for ten years.
Committee chairman Senator Kipchumba Murkomen (Elegyo/Marakwet) also explained that the policy allow counties hire doctors with attractive salaries to enhance the retention capacity.
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