Njuki Declares War On Medics Referring Patients to Private Clinics

Tharaka-Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has warned county health workers against using government hospitals as a platform to poach patients for their private clinics.

Njuki, while addressing the media at Chuka Level 5 Referral Hospital after an inspection tour on Tuesday, noted that a number of unprofessional county medics were referring patients to their private clinics under the excuse that there was no medicine in public facilities. He put them on notice for exploiting patients.

“These patients come to our public hospitals because they believe in the investment the government has made to ensure we have good facilities and equipment, including state-of-the-art modern technology. I have told Dr. Nthuraku and his team that our health workers must choose between working for Tharaka-Nithi County and working for themselves,” Njuki warned.

According to him, some of the medical personnel are on permanent and pensionable terms, while others are on contract. In addition, their contracts include a non-practicing allowance to enable them to forgo private practice during normal working hours. They are only allowed to practice privately on weekends and public holidays.

“Many of these unprofessional staff spend only 1/8 of their time in our hospitals and the rest in their private clinics. Other perks we have given them in their contracts include a strenuous allowance and an emergency allowance. You can't use our hospitals as a platform to poach patients for your own selfish economic gains at the expense of our people. We are coming for you,” Njuki said.

“No one has been forced to work here. You either work for mwananchi or ship out and operate your own clinic. I have given the authority to take disciplinary measures, including terminations and transfers to other facilities, to enforce the professionalism set by law,” he added.

The Governor criticized a consortium of doctors working for the county government who are believed to be operating a private hospital within Chuka Town, as well as others running private clinics in Marimanti Town and other parts of the county.

He urged members of the public to report any health workers operating such businesses outside the stipulated laws to the county government, promising anonymity to anyone who provides information.

“We are siding with patients. No patient should be referred by our doctors to their own clinics. There is nothing extra you can offer those patients in your clinics that is not available here. Nobody has better medical facilities than our hospitals,” Njuki said.