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Prof Magoha calls out ‘greedy’ Kenyan doctors

 

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has called out Kenyan doctors who refer “patients on the verge of death” for treatment abroad.

Prof Magoha, a trained medical doctor and a practising top-notch surgeon, also condemned health professionals detaining bodies at hospitals over unpaid bills.

The CS said doctors can save 'acute' patients the agony of travelling abroad only to die there while impoverishing their families.

He cited an occasion when President Daniel Moi called and asked him to refer a patient for treatment abroad but he declined.

“I told the President that the patient could not fly as he was very sick and would die. But no one wanted to hear my medical advice, so I travelled back to Kisumu,” he said. 

“The next day, I was summoned by the Head of State and on reaching there, we all learnt the patient had succumbed as I had predicted as a medic."

He spoke at the 24th Surgical Society of Kenya conference in Mombasa, urging medics to be selfless and treat patients who cannot afford surgery for free.

"Only 10 percent of those patients should go to India. Surgeons put patients’ lives first. Since 1978, I have never lost a patient on the table,” he said. 

“I have also seen miracles when patients recover from surgery. We studied medicine to provide service. We should not go the financial way."

He also urged surgeons to call out their colleagues who soil the profession and unnecessarily refer acute patients for treatment abroad.

More than 100 surgeons are meeting to discuss safe, affordable and accessible surgery in Kenya. Prof Magoha implored the medics to stop charging 'obnoxious fees' to poor patients.

"My consultation fees vary from zero to Sh5,000. Forget about the ministry position, it's just a passing cloud. Don't focus on wealth, it's vanity,” he said. 

“Instead, treat patients, even those who don't have money, and stop detaining bodies, that's a curse."

Prof Magoha said community service is paramount, explaining how Dr Dan Gikonyo treated the professor's mother for two months  at Kenyatta National Hospital without any charges yet he had money to pay the medical bill.      BY DAILY NATION   

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