Neglected health guardians: A call to prioritise doctors' welfare

Vihiga county medical practitioners protest outside their Governors offices at Mbale where they are demanding the county government to address their demands on May 16, 2024.  [Benjamin Sakwa/ Standard]

In Kenya, doctors, the guardians of our health, stand on the frontlines of life and death, yet their welfare remains severely overlooked.

While parliamentarians enjoy first-class privileges, the military benefits from robust support systems, and airline pilots extend exclusive perks to their families, doctors—whose expertise safeguards lives—are left to struggle in silence against neglect, poor working conditions, and a lack of institutional support.

Doctors face challenges unimaginable in other professions, from inadequate accommodation and food to navigating emergencies at odd hours with minimal support.