The Council of Governors has expressed concerns over the rising number of Kenyan doctors leaving the country for greener pastures abroad.
According to the Health Committee chairperson and Tharaka-Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, there is a pressing need to reassess policies that contribute to the exodus of health workers.
CoG emphasized that the current number of doctors in the country is insufficient to cater to the healthcare needs of the 50 million Kenyans.
Njuki said 229 doctors are undergoing postgraduate training leaving only 14 doctors for every 10,000 Kenyans.
“When you talk about exporting health workers, it is a paradox because we are giving away the Cream Dela Cream of this country outside,” the Governor said.
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According to data from the Council of Governors, 362 doctors are on study leave, while 135 have completed their scholarships but may not return to their counties.
Doctors Exodus costing Kenya
Speaking at a conference on developing a healthcare workforce for Africa, he lamented the loss of taxpayer money spent on training medics who leave the country as the country struggles to employ the surplus of nurses graduating from colleges annually.
“We spend as African countries a lot of money in training our health workers and we are giving them out for free to Western World at the ignorance of assuming that they need job because they’re jobless.”
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Those who spoke at the conference proposed offering special incentives to encourage health workers to serve in rural facilities.
At the same time, they pushed for training programs tailored to the needs of African healthcare systems.
Kenya Exporting Health workers
Remarks by Governors came days after Presidents William Ruto flagged off the first cohort of Kenyans to work in five developed countries.
The cohort of workers included drivers, health care givers, security guards, cleaners, and hospitality industry professionals.
According to Ruto, he had talks with developed countries about paying Kenyan laborers between Ksh150,000 and Ksh200,000 a month.
“There are opportunities for the youth to work abroad and we have agreed that our youth will be paid between Ksh.150,000 and Ksh.200,000,” he said.
Again, Ruto clarified that the government had already posted job openings for nurses abroad and added that there would be a further 500,000 positions available.
