The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) have expressed approval for the government’s recent decision to terminate the contract with Cuban doctors.
KMPDU Secretary-General Davji Bhimji Atellah issued a statement indicating that the union believes this decision was long overdue.
Atellah asserted that the move to employ Cuban doctors was a wasteful one and lacked careful consideration.
According to Atellah, the funds allocated to employ 150 Cuban medics could have been utilized to hire qualified Kenyan doctors.
He called upon the government to redirect the resources used for Cuban doctors towards employing hundreds of unemployed, highly skilled Kenyan medical professionals.
The KMPDU secretary general also highlighted the acute shortage within Kenya’s healthcare sector, stressing the need for urgent measures.
“KMPDU lauds the non-renewal of the Cuban contract. The cost of employing the 150 Cubans is enough to employ 500 Kenyan doctors. The government should now employ Kenyan doctors urgently,” he emphasized.
On October 11, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha disclosed the government’s intention not to renew the contracts of Cuban doctors.
During the official launch of the Pre-National Human Resources for Health Dialogue, Nakhumicha expressed her confidence in the ability of Kenyan doctors to fulfill the healthcare requirements.
The decision not to renew the Cuban doctors’ contracts was driven by the expectation that local medical professionals would be highly motivated to carry out their duties.
“As a ministry, I am confident that we will have a highly motivated workforce. We have decided not to renew the agreement with the Cuban doctors. Our very own healthcare professionals are committed to the cause,” stated Nakhumicha at the Windsor Golf Hotel in Nairobi.
Cuban doctors have been working in Kenya since the inception of an exchange program initiated in 2017 during the tenure of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The agreement also involved the deployment of local doctors to Cuba for advanced training.
