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Kenyan doctors told to embrace expatriates

 Murang'a County health executive Mr Joseph Mbai in his office, explaining preparations made to welcome Cuban doctors. [Photo:Boniface Gikandi]

Counties in Mt Kenya region are eager to receive the Cubans and have made plans to facilitate their arrival, including hiring hotel accommodation.

In Nyeri, Governor Mutahi Kahiga asked local doctors to embrace the expatriates, noting there was no need to feel threatened by the specialists.

Mr Kahiga said Nyeri was looking forward to hosting two of the doctors and promised to facilitate their stay in the area.

“We are expecting a nephrologist and a general physician who will support efforts to offer quality healthcare in the county,” he said.

The doctors will be provided with fully furnished apartments and transport, including to rural health facilities.

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union Central Branch Secretary Goody Gor said the county referral hospital had only 11 doctors against a requirement of at least 50.

Kahiga however explained that the county had 53 doctors on its payroll who received Sh250 million annually but were currently on study leave in various universities.

“We cannot afford to hire doctors because the wage bill is ballooning out of proportion and already the majority of doctors are not delivering services," he added.

Clinical officers

Kahiga said the county now preferred to invest in clinical officers.

The Murang’a government will receive two Cuban doctors once they are through with induction in Nairobi.

The medics will be housed at a hotel in Murang’a town awaiting refurbishment of their houses.

Health and Sanitation Executive Joseph Mbai said the doctors would be hosted at the hotel until they were settled in residential premises. They have also been assigned a vehicle to be fuelled by the county.

“Arrangements have been made to ensure they are comfortable as they render services to residents,” said Mr Mbai.

Meru will receive a family doctor and an endocrinologist, according to Health Department Chief Officer Kanana Kimonye.

Dr Kimonye said they were ready to receive the two specialists, who will be based at the Meru Level Five Hospital, but have rotational duties in Level Four and Three hospitals across the county.

"We have organised their accommodation in Meru town to the standards of their job level. A pool car will be available to drop them at work and take them back home until they are familiar with their new environment," he said, adding that they were yet to make a final decision on where the family physician would be based.

Embu Health Executive Jamleck Muturi said they had made arrangements to receive three doctors who would be stationed at the Embu Level Five Teaching and Referral Hospital.

The county will receive a nephrologist, a neurologist and a family doctor.

Dr Muturi said they had the necessary equipment in place so the doctors could get down to work immediately.

Early this year, the hospital employed a neurosurgeon who has conducted brain surgeries.

“All issues concerning the expatriates' welfare as per guidelines from the national government are taken of,” said Muturi.

He revealed that once the Cubans had settled in, they would be visiting sub-county hospitals to meet and treat patients.

[Story by Wainaina Ndung'u, Lydia Nyawira, Boniface Gikandi, Munene Kamau and Joseph Muchiri]

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