Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has called for the termination of Kenya-Cuban doctors exchange project
This comes in the wake of the untimely demise of Dr Hamisi Ali Juma while working in the exchange training programme in Havanna, Cuba.
An incident that has unraveled questions concerning the working conditions that the Kenyan doctors in Cuba are subjected to.
Amid the ongoing probe into the welfare of the 49 Kenyan doctors in Cuba, Babu Owino has called upon President Kenyatta to terminate the project terming it as a failed experiment.
The MP says that his intention for this call to halt the project is inorder to restore dignity to Kenyan doctors and the Kenyan people.
Babu Owino added that the death of Dr Hamisi has brought to light the deplorable conditions in which Kenyan doctors are working whilst in a foreign country.
“It is unfortunate that our own people are complaining of starvation, inhumane living conditions, a four hour daily commute and general neglect from their Government while that same Government is treating the Cuban doctors working here like Kings and Queens.” he said in his statement
Babu Owino raised his concern saying that Kenyan doctors are receiving a paltry allowance yet Cuban doctors are being paid three times what their Kenyan equivalents are receiving.
He maintains that Cuban doctors are not offering any skill that is not already locally available and furthermore, they do not even speak the local languages and therefore cannot effectively interact with patients.
The MP says that he is saddened to see that his own country values foreigners more than Kenyans and cares for them more than they care for their people.
Babu Owino also mentioned that Cubans should go back to Cuba and let Kenyans serve Kenyans.
” There are enough institutions of higher learning in Kenya offering courses to train Kenyans – there is no need for them to go to Cuba when the same course is offered here.” he added
The Embakasi East MP says that this move is the only way to make a serious stab at our President’s Big Four Agenda vision of achieving universal healthcare.