Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has announced that the government will not be renewing its contract with Cuban doctors.
Speaking on Wednesday, October 11 during the official opening of the Pre-National Human Resources for Health Dialogue at the Windsor Golf Hotel in Nairobi, CS Nakhumicha said the move is to harness all the efforts around the local workforce.
The Health CS expressed confidence that the Kenyan doctors will be committed to their jobs and be able to handle operations across the country.
“I have no doubt that we are going to have a very motivated workforce that is well taken care of and on that note, I am pleased to announce that we shall not be renewing the agreement for the Cuban doctors because I want to believe that our very own are going to be committed to the course,” said Nakhumicha.
At the same time, Nakhumicha stated that the government is diligently working on improving other aspects of the healthcare system, including health products, technologies, information, and financing.
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Kenya entered into an agreement with Cuba in 2017 where Cuban doctors would come into the country to offer help in hospitals while Kenyan doctors would go to Cuba for specialized training.
The first batch of Cuban doctors consisting of fifty-three family doctors and forty-seven specialists jetted into the country in 2018 before an additional twenty specialists were deployed in 2020.
The agreement was however marred with controversy as local health practitioners alleged that they were being sidelined.
Despite the backlash retired President Uhuru Kenyatta extended the contract after two years.
