Healthcare workers unions have declared their support for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.
Addressing the media, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) Secretary General, Dr. Ouma Oluga said the healthcare practitioners had unanimously resolved to support the establishment of a Health Service Commission (HSC) as recommended by the BBI report.
“We have also resolved to engage with all Kenyans from parliamentarians to Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), Governors and all consumers of medical services to debate with them and convince them that HSC is the solution to the problems experienced in the health sector,” said Oluga.
He said that they will avail a 7-member team that is going to engage with the parliamentarians, experts and the public to see to it that the HSC is established so that Kenyans and the healthcare workers can stop suffering.
“We are requesting that this process is not politicized since healthcare over the years has been politicized leading to the suffering of professionals and consumers as well,” urged Oluga.
Oluga added that the recommendations of the professionals and technocrats should be considered more than those of the politicians.
While giving his remarks the Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako said that the HSC will be of great help to the health sector and will be a relief to the health workers. “The HSC will reduce worker’s strike by 80 percent since it will solve all the problems experienced by the workers,” said Panyako.
AMREF Africa Programs manager Elizabeth Wala said they will support the HSC and offer the necessary support required.
“We work with communities and we know the kind of suffering they go through when health workers are not at work and when hospitals are underequipped and hence we see the need for the HSC,” said Wala.
By Njeri Kariuki and Joseph Ng’ang’a
