A union has protested against the Pharmacy and Poisons Board's recommendation to scrap diplomas in pharmacy.
Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists secretary general Elias Mutuma said 11,000 pharmaceutical technologists and pharmacists in Kenya have diplomas.
He said they were not involved in the review and crafting of the board’s strategic plan and guidelines to phase out diplomas in pharmacy from 2020-25.
“They owe us an explanation. We have seen nurses, clinical officers and medical laboratory officers with diplomas and degrees. Why is the board mistreating us without explaining why they want to do this? Not everybody has money to upgrade. If it is to happen, it should be optional,” he said.
Mutuma spoke in Meru town on Saturday after a meeting with stakeholders.
He said they would protest the move and if not listened to, all the 11, 000 members will boycott renewal of their licences.
“We need the board to hold credible public participation of stakeholders, not clandestine online meetings with characters we don’t know if they are FGM activists trying to support their agenda and sabotage owners of the crucial profession,” Mutuma said.
Mutuma said they wrote a letter to the board, but have not received a response.
“We demand the Pharmacy and Poisons Board to remove our logo and name in their predetermined policies where we were not consulted. We want dialogue. We want debate and analysis for any guidelines and not to fight. Few people want to destroy this profession," he said.
Mutuma said poverty drives patients to seek medication at pharmacies because consultation fees in hospitals is high.
Upper eastern chairman Gregory Lintari appealed to Health CS Mutahi Kagwe to intervene.
He said the move by the board would hurt President Uhuru Kenyatta's universal health coverage.
Rose Mwita, the union treasurer, condemned the move, terming it 'ill-intended'.
Edited by A.N
