Hundreds of health professionals without a degree in medicine could lose their administrative jobs once the new health services law is implemented.
President Uhuru signed the Health Bill into law on Monday, reserving all administrative jobs in the health system to doctors.
Clinical officers and nurses said they will sue to stop the law, which bars them from managing any facility bigger than a dispensary and health centre. This means they cannot head a public hospital in Kenya, even if they obtain management degrees.
The Health Act also deals a blow to Kenyans with health management degrees because they cannot head public health services unless they have a degree in medicine.
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers said the move is unconstitutional.
“We sent a petition to the President through the Attorney General but he chose to ignore our concerns,” says KUCO deputy secretary general Austin Oduor.
The Act also says county health executives and directors of health must be registered with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, which only registers people with degrees in medicine, pharmacy or dentistry.
