MATEE: Do not chase dreams at the expense of living

 ON November 1, Mwingi Times had an exclusive interview with Dr Victor Matee, a medical doctor and a Benga musician from Makueni County.

Dr Victor Matee at work (right). His hobby is singing Kikamba music which he shares on his YouTube channel called vicberg. Photo/COURTESY

According to his Facebook page, Dr Matee works at Coast Level Six General Hospital. He studied for his medical degree at Kenyatta University.

Enjoy reading his passion in medicine and watch, subscribe to his YouTube channel vicberg where he shares lots of music with his viewers. This is his YouTube channel link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRmUJi_9cLo

 MUSYOKA NGUI: On May 29, you posted on Facebook that Life is not always about winning. What did you mean by that especially now that life is full of chasing dreams?

VICTOR MATEE: What makes life worth living is the tiny things we accumulate over time. They are the building blocks, the props, the relationships, the great friendships we strike. No matter how hard you think life has hit you, there is always a blessing in disguise.  Do not chase dreams at the expense of living. Life is worth it when you live it doing things you enjoy.

What lessons has the medical field taught you?

No human is better than the other. Living responsibly and being part of our communities is worth more than gold. On your hospital bed, only your true friends remember you. Medical professionals need to have compassion, have the capability to make the best decisions for their clients and be honest in their day-to-day transactions.

Sometimes, we see medics in the counties going on strike over pay and some detaining patients and dead bodies for those who cannot foot huge medical bills. Is there a bare minimum operations procedure that guides you?

Medical professionals dedicate their lives and time to serving humanity. They are fathers, mothers, breadwinners and a lot that people rely on. Employers need to get serious with timely payments. Some employers only understand aggression as seriousness. Patients have their rights and strikes are not a violation to that. If negotiations could be taken seriously, we would never have any strike in the medical profession.

On the issue of patients getting detained, nobody in the medical fraternity can answer. There are numerous medical insurance companies in this country. People should get serious and subscribe. Health is not a negotiable matter. However, medical procedures are very expensive. Insurance is amongst the solutions available for that.

Can a poor person get quality healthcare in Kenya?

Quality healthcare is very available in Kenya. We have ISO- certified hospitals and laboratories in Kenya, a proof healthcare is coming of age. For the less privileged, dispensaries and health centres do not charge anything for services rendered. They are actually funded from the National Government. These dispensaries and health centres offer all the basic services that an average Kenyan need.

How has Covid-19 changed your practice? (Then and now)

Health care has not changed a lot. There is a higher uptake of insurance though. Private facilities that have not yet incorporated insurance in their operations are struggling.

Of the 300 doctors who went to UK, only 10 passed aptitude test. Yet they are all qualified doctors. Did the United Kingdom have other nuanced motives or it was just pure failure in a game of chance?

English is the official language in Kenya. However, very few Kenyans have a good command of English language. They naturally failed like most Kenyans would fail. They are a sample that should inform the Ministry of Education that our language curriculum has holes. We learn medicine practically and in Latin. Our nurses are competent.

Apart from medical practice, I see you have ventured into the local music industry. How are your YouTube remixes doing?

Music to me is a hobby. I enjoy doing the things you see me post on YouTube. I also feel good when I see people derive happiness from my work. People have embraced local music and vernacular is gaining popularity by the day. I hope I will grow to bigger things in future.

Other than medicine and art, what else do you do? I saw some random poetries. Anything else?

I am a businessman. I do graphics design. I have a company called Lincvic Limited. It has done wonders in that field.

What do you think the next president should do to improve health care in Kenya?

Ensure equal distribution of resources throughout the country. Some counties have neglected health care. Remuneration of health care workers should also be standardized throughout the country.

Makueni is regularly cited as a county "where devolution has succeeded". Is it an overexaggerated observation or a true reflection of the situation on the ground?

Makueni has succeeded in some aspects in matters health care and failed terribly in others. Its health care workers are the worst paid in the whole country. The donkey is laden with a very heavy load there.

Makueni County will require a new governor as Prof Kibwana is exiting the stage. What will you remember him for?

Of course, he tried universal health care.

How did Makueni Boys’ High School leadership prepare you for your current duties today?

I am my own man because of the high school I attended. I am a team player, self-driven and can survive pressure because those attributes they were instilled in me.

Your advice to the youth and peers on empowering themselves and the need to stop complaining or they are okay with depending on politicians as panacea for their woes?

Be your own man. You achieve what you conceive within. Hatch that egg and sprout like a well-watered plant. To girls, like in my song, Uka Ngwony’e Mbee, a relationship is not work. Work hard genuinely to succeed.

Thank you.

STORY By MUSYOKA NGUI, EDITED By BONIFACE MWANIKI