By Hopkin Reporter
The safety of poor hospital patients is being put at risk because inexperienced KMTC Trainees are often Left in charge of the county facility acting beyond clinical competence.
Trainee medics are being forced to “fend for themselves” by looking after patients whose conditions they are not qualified to treat, as specialist doctor in the county facility offer services to several private clinics in the town with health being a devolved function as per constitution.
The county facility, medical interns with little experience do ward rounds and even conduct clinics without the supervision of specialists putting the poor patients health in grave danger.
“We are very worried when trainees tell us that they have been put in a position where they have been asked to act above and beyond their clinical competence and capabilities. That’s a concern because it creates very clear risks to patients from doctors who may not know what they’re doing,” Hopkin reports.
Instead of treating their patients at KCRH, they would rather go offer their crucial services at private facilities, where they make good money.At the private clinics, the doctors charge between Sh1,500 to Sh10,000 consultation fee per patient, typically attending to tens of clients per day.
A doctor attending to 20 patients per day, charging consultation fees of Sh2,000 for 25 days a month makes Sh1 million, excluding surgeries and other medical examination fees such as laboratory, radiology and X-ray services.
“Trainees left in this situation feel agitated and anxious that they don’t have enough supervision and worried that they might inadvertently cause harm to patients,” patient said.
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