Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists' Union (KMPDU) has asked governors to stop intimidating health workers by decrying of the poor state of county hospitals.
In a statement on Friday, the union in a bare-knuckle attack took on the governors head-on accusing them of being behind the failures of public hospitals in their counties.
While the governors were seemingly raising genuine concerns regarding the facilities, KMPDU noted with concern that the county bosses are the reason why the facilities are in a sorry state.
"We observe the trend; Governors visit health centres and hospitals, parade health workers, decry poor states, intimidate health workers and all sorts of PR stunts. We will not stop you, but while at it make your contributions to the health care sector in your counties," the statement said.
"'We ask you to make the county hospitals your first point of call when you fall ill. Make healthcare work in your counties by hiring and training doctors," the statement read.
The Union further asked governors to remit NHIF and other statutory deductions of health workers without fail.
They also asked the County bosses to expedite the payment of health workers in time so that they can discharge their duties diligently.
"Threats to health workers are outdated. Equip and facilitate service delivery with adequate funding. Pay doctors and healthcare workers on time," the statement read.
"Prioritize peoples’ health as part of your populist projects. Erecting expensive billboards, praising yourselves on TV and newspaper adverts, setting up unnecessary offices, and buying new furniture and cars may seem stylish But know Kenyans loathe these because as you do it it's at the expense of their health. When you fail to pay salaries and buy drugs all the while pointing fingers at doctors it is inhuman.."
The union asked governors to offer better leadership and governance that will make Kenyans appreciate their service to the nation.
The remarks come even as new governors have been making impromptu visits to health facilities in their counties to monitor the state of affairs.
Many have come out to decry the poor state of facilities even as they pledged to deliver.
However, such stunts have become the usual game of musical chairs considering that they happen when the governors take office only for them to revert back to normalcy as days go by.
