The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has demanded the immediate inclusion of doctors in decision-making on Kenya’s Ebola preparedness and response.
The union warned that medical professionals should not be left to implement plans developed without their input.
Speaking during a union retreat in Naivasha, KMPDU national chairperson Dr Abidan Mwachi said doctors were being treated as consumers of plans developed by the Ministry of Health rather than as key contributors to the country’s outbreak response strategy.
“We are consumers of the plan given to us by the Ministry of Health,” Mwachi said.
He argued that doctors possessed firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing hospitals and the interventions needed to strengthen the healthcare system, making their involvement critical in preparing for and containing the Ebola outbreak.
“We are saying, as doctors, we know when the healthcare sector is sick, we know what needs to be done,” he said.
Mwachi described doctors as among the groups most exposed to the Ebola virus because of their direct contact with patients, insisting that their expertise and experience should inform decisions on preparedness, prevention and treatment.
“We are demanding that the doctors in the country, who by the very virtue of what they do know the insights of what happens in our hospitals, be included in the decision-making systems for preparedness and tackling [Ebola],” he said.
He called on the government to act without delay, saying medical professionals needed to be involved in decisions as the country intensified efforts to contain the outbreak.
“We must be included immediately, where immediately means now and now means right now,” Mwachi said.
The union’s demand comes as Kenya steps up its response to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola following the confirmation of five additional cases, bringing the country’s total to eight, including one death.
The developments have heightened concerns over the protection of frontline health workers and the effectiveness of measures to prevent further transmission.
In a statement, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reaffirmed its support for Kenya’s response, saying it was working with the government and partners to strengthen surveillance, technical coordination, risk communication and community engagement.
The continental health agency said the early detection of the additional cases underscored the importance of contact tracing, surveillance and timely isolation.
“Their early identification demonstrates the critical role of contact tracing, surveillance and timely isolation in interrupting transmission and protecting communities,” Africa CDC said.
The agency also commended the Ministry of Health and national public health institutions for their leadership, swift public health measures and communication throughout the response.
KMPDU’s demand now places the role of doctors in outbreak planning at the centre of the preparedness debate, with the union insisting that frontline medical professionals should participate directly in decisions affecting hospital readiness, healthcare worker safety and the management of Ebola cases.
