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.

CONCQUERING PART I EXAMS

Many years ago, I was told a concqueror is the one who conquers. I hope this meaning has not changed! And this exactly explains how I feel now. After many years of agonizing in the library reading and memorizing, forming mnemonics, the day was nearing very first. In my life, I have never feared exams, afterall I have always passed these exams, this was my encouragement. At the back of my mind, one reality though kept on creeping...what if I failed. This means many things- extra time with this rapidly reducing life expectancy, extra money, extra free labor and slavery for Kenyatta, more time away from my family and to some extent the silent reproach from friends and all who care. I had told many guys that am back to school! Indeed this was regarded as a milestone since I had become a chronic MO I rapid can ones mental acuity deteriorate? There are times |i sat to read and my mind kept on roving all over, very intrusive thought that one hardly ignores. The absorption rate too low to understand why. This is the same person who would comfortably do 24hrs of reading bila fatigue and still remain cheerful. What about now? Keith Moore was literally greek to me. You read today, go for lunch and on coming back you cant figure how this damn human is developing. The day finally arrived and it was time of reckoning. How I hoped that this paper was called off. Alot of writing I did. thanks to the structure nature, I did not ask for extra papers. Somehow I was able to retrieve enough material to pursuade the lecturers to determine that I was now ready to proceed to part two of study. I received the news of exam with utter disbelief. To me passing exams is not as obvious as it used to be in the past. What a change of things? As look forward to the next phase of school work, many thanks are in order to all who played a role in supporting my studies. This truly made a difference. The sky is the limit I can tell all of you. Now this is exactly why I feel I am a concqueror in all things.

THE WORLD IS FULL OF VANITIES

we are treated daily to too much goose chase, haste and irrationalities. For a long time now i have been observing human around with keen interest in how they behave when faced with different factors.

We wake up and rash out of houses as if these houses are on fire, reason- to be the first ones in the long pile of vehicles, to arrive early to work. We are excited to arrive early and gain praise from our masters who shamelessly suck all our youthful energies and later damp us in the name of cost cutting and downsizing. One employer was very candid to an employee and told him that the age factor was affecting his speed of executing specified tasks.. How cruel can one be?
Back to the rat chase. Once in the office, people breath hot airs all over, domineer, bully ans coerce. All in the name of improving the bottom line
This is a predictably repetitive cycle of events that go on day in day out unabated. We sweat our selves out, to get a knod, get abit of praise.Eventually one retires to an empty homestead, surrounded by bushes, and animals for those who bother to rear them. Loneliness abound.
It is true that all we do is vanity...we heap oursleves with limitless concerns. What a paradox?

Psalm 122

I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Lets go to the house of the Lord"
Our feet are standing
in your gates Oh Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord,
to praise the name of the Lord
According to the statute give to Israel
There the thrones of judgement stand
the thrones of the house of David
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"may those who love you be secure.
Mat there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels."
For the sake of my brother and friends,
I will say "peace be within you"
For the sake of the house of our Lord our God,
I will seek your porsperity.

A WORLD OF CONTRASTS

In the recent times, there have been reports of obesity, the silent killer among the afluent in the society. This made headlines with abandon until the current famine scourge cropped up.
The are guys who starve to death! That means, the utilize all the reserves, use all non esssentail storages until a ppont where the body cannot cope any more.
And talking of contrast, I overheard a neighbor swearing how she would never ever donate to the Kenyas for Kenya Kitty. I thought, this must be extremely mean! We are all exposed directly or indirectly. We have focused too much on blame game and ignored the basic tenets of being human. As mortals, we come, live and one day will surely die. We are sojourners on this earth.
How much will it profit a man (or woman) to amass all wealth and leave it intact. Is it not in order to share the little we have and make a difference in another persons life?

In this part of the country, guys are struggling, waking up early, going to the gymn, jogging, attempting ot starve themselves, using herbs and other means. On the other side, a mother watches helplessly as her children wither and die one by one. What a contrast indeed?

whats the fuss about GMO

In the recent days there has been lots of noise over importation of GMO maize in the country. There are a few obseravtions that merit mention
- the men and women who make most noise are exactly those  who debated and passed some of theses laws
-it is these guys who have advocated for declaration of hunger situation a national disaster
-majority of these guys are guided by rumors and heresay, with no sound knowledge of the subject matter.
-that GMO does not necesarily involve alterning the genetics of the organisms- the main focus is improvement to foster resiatance to drought and pests

There remains alot to be done in ensuring that Kenyans are well educated on the pros and cons of using GMO. The GMO technology is here with us and we must do all we can to aquint ourselves with what it entails.
Lastly, we need to choose the lesser evil: dying from starvation or dying from effects of GMO. This decision must be made not on the street or political rallies.
Lets sit and reason together and find a way forward.
I rest my case.

The role of medicine in fosterning national unity

For long the medical fraternity has been relegated to the peripheries when discussion on matters of national importance take place. What has eluded many peoples mind is that without good health, poeple cannot partcipate in politic.
Health is now cited as a human rights issue and no one can think of respecting human rights and yet ignore health.
Health practitioners of all cadres must actively take part in rebuilding this economy that has been for a long time destroyed through corruption and bad governance.
It remains to be seen whether we are able to rise beyond the mundane politics and positively engage to ensure Kenya attains the vision 2030 dream.