The Kenyan Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union(KMPDU) has declared its plan to dissolve the country's medical regulatory body and create a new one as they demand that the Government first employ jobless Kenyan doctors before bringing in Cuban specialists.
It is after Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki shared details of her meeting in Havana with Cuban officials that some members of KMPDU who include the Secretary-General Puma Oluga quickly replied and called those who had accompanied her 'sell outs' and clarified that the union was not part of the process.
"KMPDU is not on any peer review mission in Havana- Cuba Madam CS @SicilyKariuki. But we see the few betrayers and sell outs with you pretending to have capacity to do peer review. Watajua Hawajui. And you'll prove they didn't advise you well. 28th April 2018 we dissolve the board," Oluga tweeted.
The Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board is a statutory authority established under Cap 253 Laws of Kenya to regulate the practice of medicine and dentistry in Kenya. It hence remains to be seen how the doctors plan to dissolve it and form a new body.
Among the Cuban specialists expected in the country from June, KMPDU insists that the state should employ at least 1,200 trained Kenyan doctors who have not been employed yet.
President Uhuru Kenyatta made a deal with the Cuban government to bring in 100 medical specialists to offset the shortage in country hospitals.
50 Kenyan doctors are also expected to go to Cuba for specialist training as part of the plan.
The first batch expected to arrive in June is expected to boost Malaria prevention efforts in counties around Lake Victoria.