A health professionals lobby in the country has called on the government to withdraw the proposed amendment to the Health Act, 2019.
They said the amendment seeks to alienate their bodies from healthcare governance and regulation and has to be withdrawn as a sign of goodwill and to create an environment conducive to partnership space.
The lobby brings together members of the National Nurses Association of Kenya, the Kenya Clinical Officers Association, the Kenya Medical Association, the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya and the Kenya Pharmaceutical Association.
It urged the Ministry of Health to engage them as strategic stakeholders in the war on Covid-19.
"During the pandemic, the professional associations have taken the lead in the training of healthcare workers, advocacy for the provision of quality PPE and psychological support to HCPs that is ongoing," its statement read.
Of the total confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country, 3,750 are healthcare professionals—an equivalent of three per cent.
"Of the 3,750 cases, we have lost more than 60 healthcare professionals to the disease. The number of infections is rising by the day and there is a real danger for healthcare workers," it said.
Despite the prevailing danger, healthcare workers continue to operate under extreme pressure, long hours and experience a high level of stress, it added.
While calling on its members to get vaccinated against the disease, the lobby said it would not want to see them exposed to any risk in the course of their work.
"It is not mandatory but we encourage our members to take it for the sake of their health and well-being and that of their patients.
"We continue to encourage our members to maintain a safer working environment through the appropriate use of personal protective equipment and adequate handwashing resources across the counties," the lobby said.
It noted that the success of the vaccination rollout will, as expected, depend on the agility of the healthcare workforce.
"Without your sacrifice and effort, it will be impossible to get the vaccine to the remotest locations in this country. We call on you to support the vaccine deployment so that we can vaccinate as many people as possible in the coming few months," the statement read, adding that the more people are vaccinated, the safer the country and by extension the world becomes.
The professionals cautioned against the commercialisation of vaccines by unscrupulous individuals making them out of reach to the public.
"As professional associations, we are willing to partner with the Ministry of Health to safeguard the interests of the healthcare workers and the general public to ensure the resources allocated to Covid-19 vaccines rollout are accounted for."
They urged the government to provide blanket indemnity cover to facilitate the acquisition of vaccines by the private sector.
