BY SAM ALFAN.
A move by government to bring foreign doctors in the country has been challenged.
This is after a doctor moved to court seeking to stop government from issuing licenses and work permit for the year 2018 to Cuban doctors or any foreigner medical practitioner.
Dr Samson Robert Misango want High court to restrain Health Cabinet Secretary, Council of Governors, Director of Immigration and Attorney General from employing or issuing work permits to any medical facilities in the country from employing Cuba doctors, foreign medical practitioners or dentist from this date pending hearing and determination of this application.
“Temporary injection be issued restraining respondents by themselves, their agents or servants issuing licenses and work permit for the year 2018 and to the Cuba Doctors or any other foreign medical facilities in Kenya from employing the Cuba doctors ,foreign medical practitioners or dentist pending hearing and determination of this application”. State Dr Misango.
Dr Misango want the court to temporarily issue orders suspending licensing and work permit issuing to foreign doctors in particular Cuban Doctors. He claims if court fails to issue such order’s, great prejudice will be suffered by local doctors.
Through his lawyer Prof Kiama Wangai, Mr Misango oppose employment of Cuban doctor’s and all foreign medical practitioners being issued with licenses and work permit by the Director of Immigration is misrepresentation of facts and there exist doctors in the country who can fill in those positions now being allocated to Cuban doctors.
He claims that, there is no evidence Council of Governors carried out interviews or survey to establish that no local doctors are available to offer the required services as opposed to giving that opportunity to foreigners at expense of local doctors.
In court papers seen by Nairobi Timez, the doctor claims that Kenya government and many private facilities are resorting to employ foreign doctors because it is cheaper to them as they are ignorant of Kenya minimal wage.
“Taxation issue or minimal scale of Remuneration negotiated by respective Doctors Union to the prejudice of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and students who are studying in campus” claims the doctor.
Mr Misango further say’s that, Cuban doctors are not competitively recruited to confirm local doctors were not available which is discriminatory against the local medical practitioners who are were locked out of opportunities.
He claims that , rights of shareholders to medical facilities and Kenya Doctors has been violated.
“Stakeholders to medical facilities and the Kenya doctors had their rights under Article 47 of the constitution infringed upon because the employment opportunities with Council of Governors were not competitively advertised for them to seek employment and the Cuban doctors were single sourced” say’s Dr Masingo.
He argues that employment of the Cuban Doctors without hearing and determining his application will be unfair and render the entire application and petition nugatory.
