Healthcare Workers: BBI should pay the 57-year-old debt to all Kenyans in-order to unlock development for all

It was H.E. Jomo Kenyatta et al at Independence, who lead Kenya in identifying poverty, ignorance and disease as the 3 most important challenges to be tackled in the country’s path to development.

57 years after these 3 were identified as our biggest enemies to development: we now have a robust Schedule 4 of Kenya Constitution, taking devolution to all corners of this country in a quest to eliminate poverty; then we have the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) enshrined within the Kenyan constitution to ensure that no child in any part of this Country is illiterate.

However, today, 57 years later majority of Kenyans are suffering greatly with lack of standardized healthcare services & aren’t guaranteed access to qualified Healthcare Workers (HCWs) whichever corner of Kenya they live and work from.

“HSC kama ile ya TSC”

The dream of the Kenyan HCWs from their various societies, associations and unions whom this year came together under a KMPDU* lead initiative is for there to be an independent constitutional Health Service Commission just like the one for teachers (TSC) in order to ensure that no Kenyan has to fundraise for fare in order to go to Nairobi to meet a specialized healthcare worker.

This is what was in the Bomas Draft (2004-2009) before it was mysteriously, some say maliciously removed from the 2010 constitution; thereafter the Prime Minister appealed for patience for another Constitutional Moment to address this mistake; then came BBI. Pre-BBI input had considered and captured a constitutional HSC; which was inside the BBI 1 Draft, unfortunately BBI 2 draft due to some misunderstandings by the COG lead to a compromised & watered-down advisory commission.

 *Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentist Union (KMPDU) is leading all healthcare societies, associations, and unions in quest for a constitutional HSC

Do you remember the story of Jospeh?

He had 10 brothers who misunderstood his dream as a threat to them, then sold him to some slave traders. Little did they know that the dream was for all their good. 13 years later, there was a massive famine and luckily, it’s the dream that came to save them. That was a couple of millennia ago.

Similarly, today - the Healthcare Workers have a dream for all Kenyans. Just like Joseph, they have 47 Governors as brothers who mistakenly believe that that a constitutional Health Service Commission would cut back gains for devolution and unfortunately have vowed to kill it or cut it into size through an advisory commission. This is a misunderstanding that can be easily be remedied.

The HCWs proposal for a constitutional HSC removes the headache of recruiting, standardizing & practically giving all Kenyans access to healthcare workers whenever and wherever they need them from the governors for them to focus on delivering on the many key functions under Schedule 4 of the Kenya constitution.

The small matter of ‘editorial’ work 

As HCWs, we thank the President H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta and his brother the Rt. Hon Raila A. Odinga for giving us this constitutional moment.

It is indeed time, albeit 57 years later that the debt of Access to highest quality healthcare for all Kenyans wherever they are, is paid in full. Let the principles move with speed & authorize the making of editorial changes to the BBI 2 draft, rewording the Advisory HSC therein into a Constitutional HSC with the following powers:

1. Over the Schemes of Service to hire, deploy, promote, discipline and transfer trained Health workers in ALL Public Health facilities save for those under Independent Boards of Parastatals.

2. To monitor & evaluate the performance of trained Healthcare workers and reward good performance and sanction underperformance or no performance.

 3. Over the budget to run payroll for the trained Healthcare workers it employs.

Clarion call for all Healthcare Workers 

It is the work of all HCWs to familiarize themselves and lobby leaders from the Head of State, Deputy President, Former Prime Minister, Chairs and members of health committee both in Senate and National Assembly, Governors, MCAs and Wanjiku. Highlight as follows:

To Wanjiku: the benefits of accessing the same standard of qualified & motivated healthcare workers when and where they are needed irrespective of the corner we are in – whether a pastoralist or a socialite in the cities

To Governors: the benefits of a HSC that will take over the headaches of HRH and the time and resources they will now have to focus on the key functions under Schedule IV to make devolution work towards elimination of poverty mashinani

To other political leaders and the 2 principles especially: The HSC will not kill devolution, but finally make it possible for all Kenyans wherever they are stay healthy and free from disease; a debt that is 57 years overdue

To colleagues: the stability by having one employer would allow you and your families to be secure and motivated to serve all Kenyans of all walks of life wherever they are and whenever they need your care and services.

Health sector professionals statement on the BBI



The writer is: Dr. Louis Somoni Machogu, the President of The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK) 

PSK is a professional body bringing together registered pharmacists in Kenya. We advocate for policy that avails quality healthcare for all & the welfare of pharmacists in Kenya.

A Pharmacist as a Doctor of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Care adds value to the healthcare team in the diagnosis, evaluation and resolution of medication related problems; which are the 3rd largest cause of death. With 80% of all patients being using a medicine-based intervention, it's a right that every patient accesses a medication action plan and review undertaken by a Pharmacist to guarantee highest quality of care from treatment plan prescribed. Pharmacists also serve in ensuring supply chain security of health products and technologies from drug discovery to post market surveillance to ascertain quality and safety of medication for all. Now that you know, demand for these services from your pharmacist and if your facility doesn't have one insist they get you a team. Let's save lives: Medicines are poisons without pharmaceutical care.