It’s all about money, but not monthly pay

By MWANIKI MUNUHE

Narobi, Kenya: At the centre of the ongoing health professionals’ strike is the grim and callous reality – the selfish push by the doctors and nurses to resist devolution because of economic considerations.

Some of the doctors interviewed by The Standard On Sunday have confessed their fears that devolution of health services to the counties poses a great threat to the private clinics, which they run.

Sources admitted that doctors are utterly disturbed because some may be “thrown” to far flung locations in the country where there is neither electricity to operate their sophisticated medical equipment nor client base “that is economically able to sustain our business”.

Sh200,000 per operation

One neurosurgeon based in Nairobi even privately confessed to this writer that he bags Sh200,000 per operation in the many high-cost hospitals around. If such a doctor was asked to relocate from Nairobi, chances are high he will resist because ‘business’ in rural counties is not as attractive.”  

Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia concedes that indeed these (economic considerations) may be some of the hidden challenges faced by the health professionals, which cloud the ongoing strike negotiations.

“My prayer is that we can all open up on what the real burning issues are,” says Macharia, who has so far held seven negotiation meetings with union representatives of the health professionals.   The Secretary made the plea even as 10 people perished and 34 others got injured in a road accident yesterday morning in Mariakani, Mombasa. Coming at a time when most public hospitals have been closed around the country, Macharia decried the action and appealed to doctors to reconsider their move.

“The Mombasa accident is regrettable and on this account alone, I wish our medical staff can resume duty, especially during this festive period in order to deal with such eventualities,” he said. The Standard On Sunday has, however, learnt that most doctors are reluctant to play ball because if they give in to the devolution plan, they may be forced to either hire other professionals to run their private premises or close them down all together. Health professionals employed by the Government own majority of existing clinics either partly or fully.

“This move will create a serious challenge to many doctors because we may have to close down our private clinics if we are moved to the counties,” said a senior doctor who did not want to be named.

The ongoing strike, which has exposed patients to untold suffering, is the most unique because unlike most strikes where professionals down their tools to push for pay rise or better working terms, it is based on a controversy emanating from the provisions of the Constitution.

Beyond ministry

“While we are alive to their concerns, the reality is that we have reached a point where the issues at hand are beyond the ministry (of Health). These are now matters of the Constitution and require new legislation,” Macharia explains.

Devolution Cabinet Sectary Anne Waiguru concurs: “Any demand made by the unions that is within the purview of the national and county governments has already been conceded. Health is a function devolved by the law. There is nothing we can do unless that law is amended.”

According to Waiguru, one can only strike on matters that relate to labour relations, but anything outside that “cannot be part of labour dispute because you cannot ask the employer to make concessions they do not have.”

These warnings notwithstanding, the possibility that the strike, which has already caused deaths of many patients across the country, may not end any time soon, is disturbing.