The Government has decried the large numbers of medical graduates produced every year and target for intern placements.
Despite the Government effort to address the issue of internship for doctors, the issue has remained a perennial challenge and currently is the main issue raised by the striking doctors.
The Government through the Ministry of Health, Acting Director General, Dr Patrick Amoth, said the issue of internship for doctors which remains an elephant in room has historical perspective.
The acting DG who was speaking in one of the local station on April 4, said unlike 10 years ago when only University of Nairobi was the only medical institution producing 90-100 graduates a year, there are currently 12 medical training institutions which produce over 1000 medics every year due to the module II programme.
This has left the Government struggling with a constant resource allocation to the Ministry of Health.
“The resources allocated to the Ministry have not been in tandem with the increased number of graduands coming out of the training institutions and the sudden surge of graduands from these medical schools is because of module II programme,” Dr Amoth said.
Earlier, Health Principal Secretary, Mary Muriuki indicated that the Health Ministry had sought guidance from the Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and National Treasury on remuneration rates for medical interns and that the salary commission had approved rates that it will use when posting medical interns.
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A circular containing these rates shows that medical interns, who, according to Kenya Medical Practitioner Pharmacist and Dentists Union (KMPDU), should be earning a net salary of about KSh150,000 be paid between KSh35,000 and Ksh70,000.
The circular stated that medical officer, pharmacist and dental officer interns would be paid of between KSh47,000 and KSh70,000, while nursing officer interns (degree) and clinical officer interns (degree) would be paid between Ksh35,000 and Ksh50,000. Clinical officer interns (diploma) would be paid between KSh27,000 and KSh35,000.
While KMPDU had stated KSh206,000 monthly pay for the interns against the Government’s KSh70,000.
It is the reason doctors fully withdrew from hospitals, halting critical and emergency services including surgeries.
As the strike enters its third week, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei announced that the Government cannot raise KSh12 billion required to pay the salaries of more than 1,200 intern doctors.
Dr Amoth added that the Ministry had received invoices to the tune of KSh200 million to sort out the issue confirming KSh83 million, KSh13 million and KSh7 million invoices already received from Universities of Nairobi, Kabarak and Moi respectively, and the remaining invoices are for students who went for training in other institutions.
He further affirmed that the Ministry is optimistic of securing the resources from the national treasury to ensure that the doctors continue with their studies and sit their exams.
By Brian Ndigo
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