By Sharonne Namarome
The recent protests by medical interns outside Afya House, on Monday, braving Tuesday’s rains, and enduring biting cold weather are debilitating. This highlights significant issues within Kenya’s healthcare system. These protests which involve medical, dental, and pharmacy trainees, stem from profound injustices that have plagued the profession for years. Pursuing a medical career in Kenya is both expensive and time-consuming. Aspiring doctors, dentists, and pharmacists invest millions of shillings and over a decade of their lives in rigorous education and training. For instance, at Moi University, the tuition fee for one academic year is approximately Ksh 450,000 for a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree. Over six years, this totals about Ksh 2.7 million, excluding additional expenses like accommodation, meals, textbooks, medical equipment, and personal costs, which can push the total to over Ksh 3.5 million.
Despite this significant investment, medical interns in Kenya often face inadequate compensation, poor working conditions, and a lack of recognition for their efforts. The current protests underscore the frustration of these young professionals who feel undervalued and neglected by the very system they strive to uphold. The government’s failure to address their grievances exacerbates the situation, leading to a growing sense of injustice among interns. This lack of appreciation is starkly contrasts with the government’s practice of hiring foreign doctors to fill gaps in the healthcare system. While the expertise of foreign doctors is valuable, it raises questions about the government’s commitment to nurturing and retaining homegrown talent. The presence of foreign doctors, often at higher salaries, underscores the perceived lack of confidence in Kenyan-trained professionals. This practice not only demoralizes local interns but also undermines their contributions to the healthcare sector.
As if not enough, government officials have sometimes openly degraded medical interns, further compounding their sense of neglect. Recently, Cs Moses Kuria made disparaging comments about the medical interns, claiming that they have nothing to do with medicine and they have not even sat for exams. Such statements demoralize interns and erode public trust and respect for the medical profession, adding insult to injury for those who already feel undervalued.
Additionally, the government has been slow in posting medical interns to appropriate facilities, leaving many without placements for extended periods. This delay not only hinders their professional growth but also deprives healthcare facilities of needed manpower. In some instances, interns are posted to facilities without the necessary resources or supervision, undermining the quality of their training and compromising patient care. Kenya is already facing a significant shortage of doctors. According to a 2020 World Health Organization report, the doctor-to-patient ratio in Kenya is approximately 1:6,355, far below the recommended ratio of 1:1,000. This shortage is particularly severe in specialized fields such as neurology, where there are only a handful of neurologists serving the entire country. The effective posting of medical interns is crucial for their career development and the overall healthcare system.
Internships provide hands-on experience, allowing interns to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings, develop practical skills, and gain confidence in their abilities. It is a critical phase in their training, preparing them to become competent and independent practitioners. Moreover, integrating medical interns into the healthcare system helps alleviate the workload of existing staff, ensuring that patients receive timely and adequate care.
Proper utilization of interns can bridge the gap in understaffed facilities, particularly in rural and underserved areas, thereby improving healthcare access and outcomes. It is imperative for the government and relevant stakeholders to address the grievances of interns, ensuring fair compensation, improved working conditions and adequate recognition of their contributions. Investing in the welfare of medical interns is not just an ethical obligation but a strategic necessity to secure the future of Kenya’s healthcare system.
By valuing and supporting homegrown talent, Kenya can build a robust and resilient healthcare system capable of meeting the population’s needs and reducing reliance on foreign doctors. It is time to appreciate and nurture our genius brains, ensuring that the sacrifices made by aspiring medical professionals do not go in vain.
