- KMPDU has supported the order of the Minister of Health Aden Duale that governs the employment of foreign doctors
- The union says the issue is not foreign professionals working in Kenya, but serious violations of labor, immigration and salary laws.
- KMPDU is now planning a national compliance campaign while pushing for the implementation of gazetted wage rates and proper work permits
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Association (KMPDU) has publicly endorsed the order of the Minister of Health Aden Duale in charge of hiring foreign doctors.
Source: Twitter
The association said that unchecked violations of labor, immigration and wage laws are destroying medical ethics and putting patients at risk.
On Wednesday, January 7, Duale announced that Kenya will stop renewing licenses for foreign doctors, allowing foreign specialists to work only in specific fields where there is no local expertise.
In a statement seen by TUKO.co.ke, KMPDU General Secretary Davji Atellah said the party fully supports the order because it is based on existing laws and is facing what he described as systematic exploitation within parts of the private health sector.
He pointed out that the problem is not the presence of foreign experts in Kenya, but the situation in which most of them are employed.
According to the association, more than 300 foreign doctors have been officially licensed to work in Kenya in recent years, while more than 3,000 have worked in the country in the past three years.
How much do foreign doctors earn in Kenya?
KMPDU insists that most of these doctors are employed by private and mission hospitals under contracts that violate Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) and standards set by the Kenya Medical and Dental Council (KMPDC).
Atellah claimed that some foreign doctors earn a meager income of KSh 40,000 to KSh 50,000 per month, much lower than the rates announced in the government gazette.
He said such payments are tantamount to outright exploitation, harming doctors who are affected by the integrity of health care delivery by correcting unethical practices of workers.
“In the past four years, more than 3,000 foreign doctors have been licensed to work in Kenya. Although KMPDU recognizes the value of international cooperation and knowledge exchange, we must face an unpleasant reality: many of these doctors are not being hired to address real skill gaps. Instead, they are being deliberately targeted by some private hospitals as vulnerable workers to be exploited,” Atellah said.
The union further accused some health facilities of ignoring immigration requirements by hiring foreign doctors without valid work permits or failing to comply with Class D permit requirements.
It also claimed that employers rarely confirm that the expertise they are importing cannot be found locally, despite the presence of many Kenyan doctors who are unemployed or underemployed.
“This culture of exploitation has also greatly affected Kenyan doctors. Many private centers continue to humiliate local professionals with staffing standards that clearly violate the KMPDC guidelines. We remind all employers that the set standards for day and night staff are binding professional standards, not voluntary recommendations,” he added.
Did Cuban doctors weaken Kenya’s health sector?
Deputy Secretary General Miskellah Maghanga compared the current situation to the previous employment of Cuban doctors, which he said was used to weaken local professionals and pressure them to accept bad working conditions.
He claimed that importing doctors at the expense of trained Kenyan professionals ultimately undermines the country’s health system.
The KMPDU also pointed the finger of blame at some private hospitals, saying profit motive has pushed them to hire doctors from countries such as India, Egypt and Pakistan under what it called unrealistic workload and inadequate remuneration.
The union warned that these actions adversely affect poor patients, as poor working conditions often lead to a decline in the quality of care.
Additionally, the party cited recent medical controversies, including scandals surrounding kidney transplant services, and weak enforcement of immigration and wage laws.
How will KMPDU implement compliance with the law in health services?
In response, the KMPDU announced plans to launch a national compliance campaign targeting the employment conditions of local and foreign doctors.
The campaign will push for strict compliance with labor laws, immigration laws and professional standards, including compliance with all approved payroll laws.
“Every doctor working on Kenyan soil (internal or external) must be employed under respectable, transparent, and valid contract terms. We want to comply with existing labor laws, CBAs, SRC guidelines, and professional standards. Facilities that do not comply should prepare to face the full weight of collective industrial and legal action by KMPDU,” the union warned.
Atellah said the party will remain firm in its position, calling on immigration authorities and workers to strengthen enforcement.
He warned that decisive inaction will continue to erode public confidence in Kenya’s health care system and increase existing ethical concerns.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
