Health CS Susan Nakhumicha found herself on the wrong side with Kenyans on Twitter after claiming that Medical interns earn more than new doctors.
During an interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday, Nakhumicha said that interns earn Kshs200, 000 while newly deployed doctors are paid Ksh104, 000.
“Kenya is a country where interns earn more than actual doctors when they are deployed. For example, a medical intern earns close to Ksh.200,000 while when a new doctor is reporting earning Ksh.104,000,” the CS said.
NetizenS however accused her of giving inaccurate information and being incompetent for the CS job as others offered to be her personal researchers.
“You cannot take an administration police officer to a barrack and assume he/she will assume the role of a soldier. We need a health CS who knows what it takes to be a doctor in this country and the challenges that the health workers in general are facing,” a netizen said.
“It’s saddening that a lot of medical interns remain unposted after successfully completing their coursework. It’s demotivating even to hear the remarks of the new health CS on the future of interns,” read another comment.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has however addressed the claims saying they are not factual.
According to KMPDU secretary general Davji Atellah, medical interns are in the lowest job group meaning that they receive a lesser stipend.
“The remuneration that was stated is not factual. Interns are the lowest, they are under the lowest job group (L). This is per a CBA in 2017,”Atellah told the media.
According to reports, medical interns receive a salary of about Kshs45, 000 alongside other allowances.
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