CS Duale lacks full understanding of Health sector issues, says Atellah
The newly appointed Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale lacks a strong grasp of the country's health sector, Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General, Davji Atellah says.
While drawing comparisons with former Health Cabinet Secretaries, Atellah said Deborah Barasa, who has moved to the Environment docket, had a deeper understanding of the role compared to both Duale and former CS Susan Nakhumicha.
"When we had Deborah, it was the first time in the history of the union that an issued strike notice failed to materialize because she understood the role of doctors and what needed to be done," Atellah told the media on Sunday, March 30.
The KMPDU boss cautioned Duale against making the same mistake as former CS Nakhumicha by politicizing the sector and instead focus on ensuring that the Social Health Authority (SHA) functions effectively for all citizens.
He also called on CS Duale must familiarize himself with the critical challenges facing medical professionals in the country, including the welfare of interns and the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, that have been central to medics' strikes over the years.
"We don't participate in politics, we only participate in withholding our skills and therefore no amount of politics can solve the issues that are pending and one of them is the issue of interns and the CBA we have been fighting about, so if he doesn't understand, he should go and learn," he said.
Atellah’s remarks came shortly after Duale pledged to take decisive action against cartels that he claims have been undermining the government’s efforts to implement Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Speaking on Sunday, March 30, the Cabinet Secretary affirmed that he has consulted with President William Ruto regarding his role as the new Health CS.
He stated that the President fully supports his resolve to take all necessary measures to ensure the success of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The CS over the weekend established a new committee to resolve all outstanding payments owed to medical facilities by the now defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
In a special gazette notice issued on Saturday, Duale stated that the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Pending Medical Claims Verification Committee's primary mandate is to address the backlog of unsettled medical claims, which has placed significant strain on the health sector.