KMPDU has warned of a major scandal in the Health ministry over the importation of Cuban doctors who are expected to arrive in the country today.
Ouma Oluga, secretary general Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union, accused the government of playing PR with the issue.
"In every beautiful story in Kenya there is always a scam. I won't be very surprised if in the near future you will be reading the same about the Cuban doctors," he told Citizen TV on Monday.
Oluga said top government officials interviewed over the importation referred to the efficient Cuban health system and have said nothing to do with how importing the doctors will improve Kenya's system.
"The people who talked about the specialists have not said anything on whether the lot will change Kenya's health system," the union leader said.
He added that the Cuban health system is very commendable and it is what the country needs to adopt in order to achieve the Universal Health Care fronted by the President.
Oluga said the country needs to borrow on the Cuban budget allocation system which preserves 27 per cent of its budget to the health sector.
In Kenya, only 2.8 per cent of the national budget is allocated to health, the medic added.
He raised concern over the money to be spent on the doctors citing the Sh500 million that has been planned for the malaria control programme.
"In the world, Kemri in Kilifi is known for its malaria control programme yet we set aside Sh500million to give to Cuban doctors for vector control."
"What Kenyan government are doing is nonsense and Kenyans will prove me right at one time," he added.
The national government and counties will share the costs of the 100 Cuban doctors. Each county will get two specialists.
An MoU on the same says the ministry will pay the doctors’ salaries, while the counties will cater for their accommodation, ground transport and other work-related expenses.
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