We
have given detailed analysis of the going-on at the medical board and point on
a number of areas where it was evident that the entity was anti-doctor. There
has been too much focus on appeasing other players and we are at cross roads as
a profession.
My
interaction with the board dates back to the year 2004 when there was rampant
delays in registration and unprecedented carelessness that led to loss of
internship assessment forms. The board whose the secretary then was the DMS
would proceed to post doctors and dentist and fail to remit forms to Afya house
for appropriate promotion and adjustment of salaries.
It
appeared that the Board was a military arm of the government to intimidate and
harass doctors never to ask questions. And with a stroke of a pen one would get
stopped from practicing medicine in the republic until one begs the main guy
there.
Fast
forward to the year 2011 when there was an outbreak of strikes in the health
sector. The board was ambivalent and equivocal when all these transpired. At
some point, there was strong attempt to use to board to coerce staff members of
a private Hospital to resume duty. That the licensing body could overlook very pertinent
concerns raised by the profession whom they are mandated to oversee, that was outrageous.
During
the strike to relieve registrars from chronic oppression, we sought guidance
from the same board. That the board could remain aloof while person whom they
have certified to practice medicine were being abused, this still remains un-understood.
The current chair is on the record sending very intimidating adverts to
registrars clearly boldened by his position in the board.
In
the strike of 2013, the board became the missing link. By standing on the side
while quacks and impersonators hoodwinked the public they failed to rise to
occasion. The crazy adverts calling for retired interns, medical students,
herbalists to come forward and get locums, was the lowest point in my view. The
regulator should always speak out whether it is convenient or not.
My
big question remains: Do the members of the medical board identify with, or agree
that there are issues in the sector that they regulate?
In
the last few years, there have been a number of reviews of fees paid by doctors
to obtain services from the medical board. The retention fees have more than doubled,
the annual cost of licensing has sky rocketed. The most ridiculous is
introduction of very high fees to obtain Certificate of good professional
standing. What explanation does one give why Kenya Police with all its flaws
would charge Ksh 1000 while the Board charges Ksh 20,000? We have sought this
answer severally prompted by the pain this causes to users of these good conduct
certificates. The last answer was laughable: that the board needed to make
money to serve doctors and dentist! If this is a statutory body created by an
act of Parliament, this should attract funding from the government. It shall
never be allowed that every time these fees are increased at will with
absolutely no participation from members.
In
the year 2013 we participated in review of the Medical Practitioners Board Act.
While the revised version offers some progress, there must be good will to
safeguard the interest of members by the regulator. The board is structure to strictly
advantage the older members of the profession while ‘giving no damn’ about the
younger members. A quick interrogation shows a unit devoid of new ideas. Any
person who minds about the profession must strictly consider voting progressive
members into the medical board. If this does not happen, CHOICES HAVE
CONSEQUENCES.
It
is not imperative that every doctor, dentist alive today must participate in
the upcoming elections. The board must get people with new ideas, sensitive to
the plight of the professions they regulate. In the absence of this paradigm
shift, health sector shall remain in the ICU where it is currently.
Let
the discussion proceed. And let the discussion culminate into action (Voting)
Quite concise and true... In reality, the medical board has been worse than you politely depict. They have failed to advice government, they have turned the dr into a cash cow without a commensurate effort to improve the practice standards and gains of the same dr. With only 7 out of 24 positions electable, we have a long way to go, so must ensure the 7 elected members really represent drs.
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