Wednesday 19 October 2011

The politics of healthcare

In recent times, Kenyan and the world at large have been treated to the unending saga at the MTRH, that is the Moi teaching and referral Hospital, Eldoret Kenya It may have passed as trivial issue to spend time commenting on, but this is not the case. This hospital has been like home to some of us, we got trained there and this means we are absolutely interested parties. This not withstanding, patients' lives have been greatly put at risk. Foe months now, we have read how the facility as been run down with abandon by persons who are not interested in seeing the hospital flourish for personal and political reasons. Granted, not everyone can afford to go abroad to be irradiated, not everyone has resources to get admitted at the premier facilities in the country. As they say, when two bulls fight, its only the grass that suffers. Take for example the minster for health. He wakes up and decided to interfere with the ongoing recruitment of the director/CEO of the hospital. He scuttles the process, imposes his own person in the position and before long this person is rejected. His boss, the person to whom the minister sings, decided to intervene and the minister ignores him. Who is in charge here? Hallo. Does the prime minister want us to believe that he is absolutely helpless in saving this hospital. For months, patient now feed like pigs, sleep in filthy places, have no access to drugs and are dying in hospitals. The staffs have remained unpaid for so long, some have decided to venture elsewhere. It is high time the concerned- minister, the two principles, the local leaders sat together and saved this hospital. Chest thumping only takes these guys to the Neanderthal age or simply stone age. One day, they will pay for this. There is not a single crime against humanity bigger than this! The dying few is a reflection of many who have chosen to die at home since they are sure they will anyway even if they visit the hospital. This is the modern day Wagalla Massacre, or other atrocities but perpetrated in a very soft way to evade the notice of the media. Over to you Human rights commission.