Kenya ends association to swap docs with Cuba. The deal was unpopular with Kenyan docs

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s authorities introduced Wednesday it will not be renewing a 6-year-old deal that noticed Cuban docs employed in Kenya whereas these from the East African nation travelled to Cuba for specialised coaching.

This system was unpopular with Kenya’s principal docs union, partly as a result of the Cuban docs obtained greater than double the common wage of their Kenyan counterparts. Critics argued that cash can be higher spent on Kenya’s medical infrastructure and by itself docs.

Well being Minister Nakumicha Wafula introduced the tip of the Cuba deal at a gathering with well being business employees within the capital, Nairobi, and was met with applause and shouts of “sure, sure!” Wafula stated the ministry would be certain that the nation’s well being employees are “effectively taken care of.”

Beneath the deal signed in 2017, 50 Kenyans had been despatched to Cuba to bear specialised coaching, whereas 100 Cubans had been dispatched to county degree hospitals in Kenya to assist enhance providers.

The transfer was closely criticized on the time by legislators and the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union, which stated it was a waste of assets when the nation was combating 1000’s of unemployed docs and specialists.

The union stated the cash used to pay the Cuban docs’ excessive salaries might have been used to rent Kenyan docs or to purchase medical gear for native hospitals which regularly lack primary amenities and medicines.

Kenya’s Salaries and Renumeration Fee has stated that every Cuban physician was paid a month-to-month wage of about $5,300, whereas native docs in the identical class obtained between $1600 and $2300. The Cuban docs additionally had higher journey and housing allowances

Medical doctors and nurses Kenya have usually gone on strike demanding higher pay and dealing circumstances.