Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union has condemned the alleged police brutality on medics who were on their way to work this morning.

This is after reports emerged that health workers among those tear gassed at the Blue Post roadblock in Thika. KMPDU Chair Dr Samuel Oroko and the Secretary General Dr Chibanzi Mwachonda called on the law enforcers to accord the health workers respect as they are in the critical services sector.

The KMPDU appealed to Interior Ministry to move with speed and ensure that the front line health workers are protected as they report to work.The doctors say that the movement restrictions rule should not be used to stop health care workers from accessing hospitals and directed doctors alleged to have been stopped by police to return home.

“This is the time to embrace collaborative efforts, this is not the time to fight healthcare workers, at this time we realize that healthcare is important to this country and that the health workforce is a scarce national resource in this country”, Dr. Mwachonda Chibanzi said

The union has also alleged that some health care workers were being denied National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) comprehensive cover despite being active in the front line care of COVID 19 patients.Dr Mwachonda also said that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are still in shortage, amid a lack of adequate medical workers and called on the government to employ more health practitioners.

The unionists have called for better conditions for people who have been subjected to mandatory quarantine in order to determine their COVID 19 status.

And while hailing the government for recruiting more healthcare personnel in the country in the war against COVID 19, the union officials however said they were not engaged on the process.

“We are aware of the adverts that went out, there has been no engagement in terms of employment and training, it’s important that healthcare workers be hired promptly and trained to go and support the current workforce that is on the ground”, Dr.Mwachonda said