This archive report was first published on 9 September 2019.
Kenya is struggling to address a severe shortage of specialist doctors, with the country's doctor-to-population ratio nowhere near the recommended 1:1,000.
According to the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council, there are only 2,560 specialists in the country, including 161 anaesthetists, 430 obstetric and gynaecologist specialists, and 349 specialist surgeons.
However, the country needs more specialists to cater to its population, with the World Health Organisation recommending a ratio of 1:1,000.
The shortage is attributed to a lack of postgraduate training opportunities for doctors, with many county governments hesitant to release doctors for training.
As a result, only 23 doctors out of 165 who applied for postgraduate studies in the September intake were allowed to do so by their employers.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPPDU) has expressed support for the Council of Governors' request for the Ministry of Health to take up the salaries of doctors on training.
"In view of the foregoing, the council wishes to share collated data of the total pay cheques to doctors on training that translates to Sh280 million monthly and Sh3.9 billion annually, to guide the discussions of taking up these salaries by the government," the letter said.
Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki has responded to the letter, stating that taking up the salaries of doctors would mean negotiating for them to be ceded to the government.
"This is a policy decision that will have to be negotiated. If we take them up on this, it would mean they become our responsibility and this would lead to the issue of having a Health Service Commission," she said.
