The Ministry of Health has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Governors, paving the way for the hiring of 100 Cuban doctors who are set to arrive in the country later this month. Addressing the press at the event, Health CS Sicily Kariuki said the 100 doctors will serve for two years, while fifty Kenyan doctors will head to Cuba in September for further training. She said the process of selecting the 100 doctors was a rigorous one, “There was a rigorous selection and peer review by medical practitioners and dentists board. The doctors were vetted and proven qualified,” she said, “They are able to speak English and therefore will be very able to serve.”
The Health CS said they’ll be deployed in every County and they’ll provide more than just medical services and expertise, “They’re meant to build the capacity of local teams through knowledge transfer and mentorship,” said the CS.
Furthermore, the medical doctors who’ll be taken to Cuba in September for two-year training will be specializing in family medicine. “They’ll undergo a two-year postgraduate training and will come back as family specialists and change agents as we seek to re-orient medical and the health system,” she said.
Council of Governors Vice Chair and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru lauded the strong inter-governmental relations in addressing issues in health. She said the Council of Governors was informed about the hiring of Cuban doctors during an extraordinary meeting on April. The CoG Vice chair said the terms have already been laid out, the national government will cater for their remuneration and allowances, while the Counties will provide furnished housing, transport and security.
