Mr President Do you Care about our Health?

The sending to jail of the officials of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), is the lowest point that the Jubilee government has allowed itself to stoop. The government has not shown goodwill pretending to be oblivious of the suffering of Kenyans for over two months now.

State hospitals are in crisis, and are at risk of collapsing if most of the demoralised doctors flee their frustrating working conditions and pay. The state of the country's public health system was revealed this past two months by doctors who are at loggerheads with the government over their paltry pay and poor working conditions. Doctors are working up to 40 hour shifts without pay, operating theatres and trauma units have summarily been shut down because of a lack of basic supplies and patients were routinely turned away for lack of ventilators, beds and medicine. It is a shame that hospitals lack basic tools like gloves.

The fact that the doctors strike has been ongoing for over two months yet the government saw no urgency to help arrive at amicable agreement is worrying to ordinary Kenyans who cannot afford the high cost of seeking medical assistance elsewhere. Article 25 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 states that "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services. “This is the minimum that Kenyans are demanding, yet the government wants to be taken serious when it can’t guarantee us of a right for health care.

It is a shame that while thousands of Kenyans continue to suffer due to lack of doctors in the hospitals; President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto have already switched in to an election mode. They have abdicated their duty under the disguise of initiating development programs yet in full day light and misusing state resources they have set off campaigns for re-election.

Revelations by COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli that the Doctors negotiations are being held at ransom by the differences between CS Cleophas Mailu and his PS Nicholas Muraguri is disheartening, yet the president remains mum amid this drama.

Healthcare matters to everyone: young and old, sick and well, covered and not. The public wants a system that’s transparent, affordable, effective, and understandable and focused on a balance of prevention and sick care. The overwhelming majority want everyone to have access to health services, especially to physicians and providers who are well remunerated.

Healthcare costs are increasing and threaten everyone. It requires honest deliberation based on an objective set of facts. Can healthcare be a focus of law making that can help restore the faith and confidence needed in our Republic? Could anything be more important? Would disgruntled Doctors perform their duties diligently? How do we feel when some of our best minds have to beg on the streets? How many more Kenyans will have to die? Mr President Do you Care!!