Public sector unions are gearing up for significant demonstrations in the coming fortnight if the government fails to address the myriad challenges plaguing the rollout of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Medics have made it clear that their protests will persist, asserting that the recent changes have triggered a healthcare crisis in Kenya. The Secretary-General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Davji Atellah, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the government's response to their grievances, calling it mere “short-term fixes.”
On social media platform X, he declared, “This fight is far from over,” after the government extended medical coverage for civil servants until November 21, 2024, ostensibly alleviating immediate concerns about healthcare service disruptions.
However, Atellah responded with skepticism, highlighting that while this extension offers temporary relief, it fails to tackle the broader systemic issues affecting public servants and the Kenyan populace. He, therefore, urged the government to engage in genuine dialogue, rather than just offering stop-gap solutions.
“The lack of clear long-term plans leaves workers vulnerable to further disruptions, and we remain firm in demanding a comprehensive healthcare system that truly serves public sector workers beyond this extension,” stated Atellah.
KMPDU is not alone in its frustrations. The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) also expressed alarm over the SHA, with Secretary-General Seth Panyako identifying corruption as a major hurdle. He accused the government of mismanaging the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), inherited from the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Panyako warned of impending mass protests, vowing to hold the government accountable for any misappropriation of funds mobilised from the public. “We cannot sit back and watch somebody stealing from us, robbing us during the day. The problem in SHA is corruption,” he added.
In his initial notice of the strike, Atellah claimed, “SHA is deducting more from workers' salaries, but providing less. This is unacceptable, as workers are paying more for substandard services, threatening their well-being."
The situation on the ground is dire, with Kapsabet Referral Hospital closing indefinitely due to poor working conditions, reflecting the escalating tensions between healthcare workers and government authorities. Many hospitals have reverted to the NHIF system, while others are grappling with manual processes that are proving inefficient amid the current crisis.
Technological failures have exacerbated the situation. The Integrated Healthcare Information Technology System (IHTS), procured from a Safaricom-led consortium at a staggering cost of Ksh104.8 billion, has yet to function effectively.
Experts at the Digital Health Agency (DHA) admitted that they are still familiarising themselves with the new system, leading to processing delays and complications in claim management.
A strike from the medical professionals would be the second one this year. A strike by KMPDU, nurses and later lab technicians paralysed public health systems for the better part of the first quarter of the year.