The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) has mourned the death of Dr. Desree Moraa, a 27-year-old medical intern at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital, who allegedly died by suicide over the weekend. Dr. Moraa was found dead on the balcony of her apartment on Sunday, 22nd September, night, with police confirming her body was discovered hanging by a rope tied around her neck.
An autopsy revealed the cause of death as asphyxia due to neck compression from ligature strangulation.
In a statement released on Tuesday, KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Devji Atellah expressed deep concern over the tragic loss, attributing her death to extreme work-related pressure and unsafe working conditions in the healthcare system.
“Dr. Moraa was working under very difficult, dangerous, and indecent conditions that did not guarantee her safety and overall well-being,” Atellah said. “Her death is a sad but glaring manifestation of our country’s broken healthcare system that feeds on the unpaid and underpaid labor of young doctors and continues to undermine their safety and basic human rights.”
Dr. Moraa, who had been living with a friend during her six-month internship, reportedly left a suicide note, in which she expressed feelings of being overworked and stressed. According to some of her colleagues, the young doctor endured long, grueling shifts—sometimes stretching up to 36 hours—and struggled with the emotionally taxing nature of the work.
Atellah condemned the systemic failures in Kenya’s health sector, noting that this tragedy is not isolated. “The system as designed failed Dr. Moraa and many others who we have mourned before,” he said. “We must resist this modern-day slavery and challenge the embedded structural failures that lead to such tragedies.”
Colleagues of Dr. Moraa described the harsh environment medical interns face, with some pointing to a “shame-based” teaching method that often left them feeling inadequate. One of Moraa’s peers revealed that personal struggles may have exacerbated her situation, sharing his mental health struggles as a medical intern.
In a Facebook post, a colleague named Harry detailed the immense stress that many interns, including Moraa, faced. He admitted to attempting an overdose the previous week but survived with only the effect of excessive sleep.
The KMPDU has called for urgent reforms to improve the working conditions for all healthcare workers, particularly interns, and to prioritize their mental health and well-being. “We owe it to Dr. Moraa and every healthcare worker in this country to demand work environments that prioritize workers’ mental well-being, ensure timely and fair compensation, and hold accountable those who perpetrate abuse and exploitation,” Atellah said.
Police are continuing investigations into the motive behind Dr. Moraa’s death.
