The announcement followed the tragic demise of Dr Desree Moraa, a medical intern at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital, who reportedly died by suicide after spending close to 36 hours working at the medical facility.
The Ministry of Health on Wednesday, September 25 announced the commencement of a workplace mental wellness program targeting healthcare workers across the country.
The announcement followed the tragic demise of Dr Desree Moraa, a medical intern at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital, who reportedly died by suicide after spending close to 36 hours working at the medical facility.
“It is with profound sadness and a deep sense of loss that we mourn the untimely passing of Dr. Desree Moraa, a young, dedicated healthcare professional with so much potential but, whose life was tragically cut short,” mourned Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa.
“Words cannot fully capture the profound sorrow and shock of losing someone so young, dedicated, and full of potential. As a medical intern, she had already touched so many lives with her compassion and commitment to the healthcare profession.”
The late Dr. Desree Moraa Obwogi was a medical intern at the Gatundu County Referral Hospital, Kiambu County. /FILE
The CS recounted that Dr Moraa’s passing served as a stark reminder of the silent struggles that many, including those in the healthcare profession, often endure.
“As a frontline caregiver, she was devoted to improving the lives of others, yet we are reminded that even those who provide care sometimes face unseen battles of their own.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Health, I extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Moraa’s family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. This tragedy calls upon us to renew our commitment to addressing the growing mental health burden in our country,” she added.
The CS revealed that the programs will see the Ministry of Health collaborate with county governments to ensure that support systems are strengthened so that those facing challenges do not feel alone.
The statement came hours after the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacist and Dentists Union (KMPDU) announced its push for better working conditions for all healthcare workers in the country, including medical interns, as well as timely and fair compensation among them.
KMPDU Secretary-General, Davji Atellah on Tuesday, September 24 lamented that the demise of the medical intern was a sad but glaring manifestation of the broken state of Kenya’s healthcare system which has not only been accused of failing to remit and underpay hardworking young doctors but continuously undermining their safety and basic human rights.
According to him, “a workplace should not make workers feel so isolated and desperate that they believe there is no way out.”
“The system as designed failed Dr. Moraa and many others who we have mourned before. It is a dangerous system that will continue to wreak havoc on the lives of healthcare workers. We must together resist it,” Atellah stated in his clarion call.
To get to the bottom of the matter, he called for widespread resistance to a modern-day level of exploitation and challenge embedded structural failures that take a huge toll on the mental health of medical workers, leading to tragic deaths similar to that of Dr Moraa.
Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Dr Davji Bhimji Atellah addressing journalists in Nairobi on January 31, 2023. /NAIROBI NEWS
