Kenyan doctors proposed the formation of a Health Service Commission to take charge of the management of health services delivery in the country during an event on Thursday, March 2.
The medics, through their trade union the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) officials, noted that county governments had shown signs of inability hence necessitating a change in the management of health delivery.
In a presser, KMPDU Secretary-General Davji Atellah underscored the need to institute reforms in the health sector through the establishment of a Health Services Commission.
The Commission, according to KMPDU, would help to centralise the management of health workers and hence enhance competence in the sector.
In addition, the Secretary-General noted that devolution of health services hinders coordination between national referral health facilities and the hospitals managed by county governments.
"This centralised mechanism for managing human resources for health will have the necessary professional competence to make decisions pertaining to health services, ensure equitable distribution of healthcare workers, and create a conducive labour environment in the public health sector, addressing localised industrial actions in the county governments," he noted.
KMPDU's demands were backed by a lobby group identified as Linda Ugatuzi which urged Kenyans to help in mobilising support for the push to have health services returned to the national government.
The lobby group committed to spearheading a campaign to raise signatures to back their demands.
"Counties don't have the resources to pay doctors. I urge you Kenyans to also help us. To collect the signatures required to amend the constitution,” a Linda Ugatuzi official noted.
Health services were placed under the purview of county governments after the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution.
Each of the 47 devolved units was left to manage health services in its jurisdiction, with only a few national referral hospitals left under the management of the central government.
However, regular strikes and complaints regarding the quality of service delivery have plagued the crucial sector since the changes were effected leading to questions of the effectiveness in the sector.
