Kenya’s Doctors cry “Enough!”

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko: Pexels

Kenya’s Doctors cry “Enough!”

Kenya’s doctors cry “Enough!” as lives hang in the balance, this comes in a nation grappling with an endless cycle of strikes. The nation finds itself in the throes of yet another crisis, this time with its healthcare system held hostage.

Since March 12th, over 4,000 medical professionals have downed their tools, taking their stand in a battle for better wages and improved working conditions. With life and death hanging in the balance, the stakes could not be higher.

This is not a new phenomenon, as strikes have been a part of human history since ancient times. The first documented strike occurred in ancient Egypt during the reign of Ramses III, around 1152 BC, when laborers constructing the royal necropolis in Deir el-Medina protested against delays in receiving their grain rations, essential for their sustenance.

For five agonizing weeks in the present-day crisis, public hospitals have been turning away patients. This has left them to fend for themselves or pay exorbitant private fees.

President William Ruto remains steadfast, insisting the government’s coffers cannot afford to meet the doctors’ demands for a 206,000 Kenyan shilling monthly salary.

The roots of this crisis stretch back to 2017 when the government inked a deal with healthcare unions, promising improved working conditions and jobs for interns, a pledge that now lies in tatters.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has outrightly rejected the government’s counteroffer to their salary demands. As the days tick by, the casualties mount – patients left unattended, emergencies unanswered, and lives hang precariously in the balance.

The nation watched in horror as the strike’s second week brought widespread disruptions. Hospitals and clinics were running shorthanded, turning away the sick and vulnerable. Feuding sides forced desperate patients to seek costlier private care or risk their lives waiting for an accord.

As the third week dawned, doctors ceased even emergency services in public hospitals – a catastrophic blow. Religious leaders pleaded for an end to the tragedy, urging President Ruto to prioritize the doctors’ concerns.

In a controversial move, Kenyatta National Hospital fired 100 striking doctors, instantly hiring replacements. Still, such desperate measures did little to quell the unrest or restore faith in the crumbling healthcare system.

Now, a month deep into this human crisis, President Ruto insists the government’s offer is final, while KMPDU stands defiant. Kenyans are left to wonder if their leaders have forsaken them entirely. It seems that leaders are trading lives for pride and politics while the sick and dying pay the ultimate price.

The endless strikes beg the question – what is the underlying issue that needs solving once and for all? Perhaps a solution lies in compromise. An instance of this was seen when junior doctors in the UK went on strike in 2016 over proposed contract changes.

After several strikes and negotiations between the British Medical Association and the government, a revised contract was agreed upon, involving compromises on working hours and pay structures.

Conducting impartial research could provide valuable insights to inform negotiations and reforms to resolve Kenya’s doctor crisis. Understanding the underlying issues driving the strikes, such as working conditions, compensation, patient safety, and healthcare infrastructure, is crucial.

Engaging a reputable research firm like Research 8020 Limited could yield accurate data to guide informed decisions.

As the stalemate drags on, the questions linger: Will Kenya’s healthcare system survive this turmoil? Will the government and doctors find common ground, or will the vicious cycle of strikes and empty promises continue unabated, leaving patients as perpetual casualties?

For now, the nation holds its breath, hoping that wisdom prevails and the healers return to their sacred calling. This will in turn help in restoring the heartbeat of a nation on the precipice.

Because in this life-or-death battle, the true victims are the Kenyan people. Their cries for quality healthcare echo through the halls of power, begging for a resolution before it’s too late.