Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), on Thursday, lauded the Ministry of Health for ending the exchange program with Cuban doctors.
According to Dr Davji Bhimji Atellah, KMPDU Secretary-General, terminating the contract will save the government on resources that can be better utilised elsewhere.
Atellah particularly pointed out that the cost of employing 150 Cuban medical professionals is equal to recruiting 500 Kenyan doctors. This would boost the local health sector, which has been crippled by the importation of labour and brain drain.
Importation of labour creates disruptions such as imbalanced competition for scarce jobs while brain drain is necessitated by medics securing opportunities abroad, thus leading to a loss of skilled workforce.
KMPDU opposed the programme since the Kenyan government inked the deal with Cuba in 2017.
In March 2023, Atellah called for an audit to analyse the cost incurred and how Kenya benefits from the controversial deal.
He added that the exchange program was unsustainable as the scope of practising medicine in both countries differs.
"The scope of family medicine practice in Kenya and Cuba are different, hence the need to train the doctors to adjust to the program," Amtellah highlighted.
"After training in Cuba, they still returned to Kenya and had to undergo two years of training in Kenya so that the medical council could clear them to practice as family doctors. They were being housed by the counties, paid triple the salaries made by Kenyan doctors and given a driver and security at the expense of our local doctors," he emphasised that the exchange was quite expensive.
Amtellah thus advised the government to prioritise Kenyan doctors in employment opportunities before recruiting foreign doctors.
While terminating the contract with Cuba, Health CS Wafula Nakhumicha stated that Kenyan doctors can handle operations across hospitals while providing quality health care to the citizens.
She added that the government would ensure the local medics are well motivated and supported to carry out their duties.
“We have decided not to renew the agreement with the Cuban doctors. Our very own healthcare professionals are committed to the cause,” the CS stated on Wednesday while opening the Pre-National Human Resources for Health Dialogue at the Windsor Golf Hotel in Nairobi.
