Amoth Pledges to Enhance UHC, End Doctors’ Strikes if Confirmed as Director General of Health » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, July 25 – Dr. Patrick Amoth, the nominee for Director General of Health, has pledged to enhance the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by preventing strikes that disrupt access to healthcare services for the public.
Speaking before a joint health committee of the National Assembly and Senate, Amoth emphasized the need to adequately resource the Kenya Health Human Resource Advisory Council (KHHRAC) to ensure it effectively addresses the welfare of healthcare professionals.
Amoth, who has been acting in the position for four years, outlined his plans if confirmed, including securing support for adequately resourcing KHHRAC. This, he said, would help manage human resources within the Ministry of Health and county governments, thereby reducing industrial strikes, such as those involving medical interns.
KHHRAC is responsible for reviewing policies, establishing uniform standards for posting interns to national and county government facilities, managing the transfer of healthcare professionals between different levels of government, overseeing welfare and service schemes, and maintaining a master register of all health practitioners in the counties.
Amoth noted that frequent strikes in the healthcare sector have hindered the implementation of UHC, with inadequate handling of human resources being a primary cause. He highlighted the underfunding and understaffing of KHHRAC, which currently operates with only the Chief Executive Officer and three other staff members, as a critical issue.
Following the prolonged doctors’ and clinical officers’ strike that severely affected health service delivery in the counties, Amoth promised to collaborate with devolved units to ensure effective service delivery. He emphasized the need for better policies to address issues affecting various cadres in the ministry, stressing the importance of a robust health system capable of responding to current and emerging health challenges.
Amoth also addressed allegations related to abortion, dismissing a petition filed against his approval based on claims that he intended to introduce guidelines allowing medical uterine evacuation procedures illegally. The petition, filed by Dr. Wahome Ngare, alleged that Amoth sought to authorize the termination of pregnancies up to 28 weeks without the knowledge of the Cabinet Secretary.
In response, Amoth clarified that he does not support abortion and that the guidelines in question were not his personal initiative. He stressed that medical ethics require him to provide care that addresses the social crises women may face, rather than terminating pregnancies.
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