Kenya, Sept. 17 -- CHAN medical staff payment shockwaves have rippled through Kenya's healthcare community after specialists who served during the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 received meagre sums of KSh 20,000 to 40,000 from the Local Organising Committee (LOC), leaving many stunned by the disparity between their gruelling efforts and the final payout.
Only the most senior doctors and nurses pocketed the higher KSh 40,000, while junior medics got even less, despite working daily shifts even before the tournament kicked off in January, often footing their own bills for meals and accommodation.
This revelation has ignited calls for fair compensation in sports healthcare roles, highlighting the sacrifices of frontline workers who ensured athlete and fan safety amid high-stakes matches, coming months after the event's successful run across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The discontent surfaced through anonymous tips to health unions and social media posts from affected personnel, who described pre-tournament preparations starting in late 2024 with venue assessments and emergency drills at sites like Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
Doctors from facilities such as Kenyatta National Hospital and Aga Khan University Hospital, along with clinical officers and paramedics, clocked 12-hour days during the 21-day event, treating everything from minor sprains to potential crowd-related injuries.
"We were there from dawn, coordinating with security and LOC teams, but had to dip into our pockets for basics like water and transport," one unnamed physician shared in a WhatsApp group for event medics.
The LOC, a tri-nation body under the Confederation of African Football (CAF), had initially floated higher allowances similar to those promised to police, around KSh 12,000 daily, but these were slashed amid budget reallocations, echoing broader funding woes in Kenya's health sector, where doctors already grapple with delayed salaries and arrears from the Social Health Authority (SHA).
This payout pales against the context of CHAN 2025's scale, which drew over 500,000 spectators and generated economic boosts through tourism and broadcasts, yet left medics feeling undervalued.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has voiced support, linking it to ongoing fights for better terms, including the 2024-2025 arrears, which are still unpaid by many.
Junior staff, who formed the bulk of the on-ground teams, received as little as KSh 20,000 for the entire period, a fraction of what specialised doctors earn monthly, averaging KSh 100,000 plus allowances.
Frustration boils over into questions about accountability: Why the deductions, and where did the event's sponsorship funds go? Unions are now pushing for audits, drawing parallels to recent SHA disputes where hospitals rejected covers for over Sh22 billion in debts, forcing staff cuts and service gaps.
As CHAN medical staff payment shockwaves continue, the incident underscores the urgent need for equitable rewards in event healthcare, where dedication often outpaces compensation.
With KMPDU rallying for reforms and medics sharing stories of self-funded shifts, this could spark wider advocacy for sports medicine perks, ensuring future tournaments like the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations honour those who safeguard lives on and off the field.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.