After months of delay, the government has announced it will clear salary arrears for medical interns, providing relief to hundreds of doctors who have gone unpaid despite gruelling work schedules.
Principal Secretary for Public Health, Mary Muthoni, confirmed on Friday that the Treasury had released Ksh1.75 billion earmarked for intern doctors’ salaries.
In a video statement, PS Muthoni reassured the medical interns, some of whom have endured months without pay, that payments would be processed promptly. "We have a budget for intern doctors this year, and we are processing their payments to resolve any delays," Muthoni stated.
“Those who have been working for months without salaries will be paid so that we can move away from that.”
The plight of the unpaid interns sparked outrage nationwide after the tragic case of an intern doctor at Gatundu County Referral Hospital. The intern, identified as Doctor Desree Moraa Obwogi, reportedly took her own life after facing mounting stress from her supervisors, relentless shifts lasting over 36 hours, and financial hardship that made it impossible to cover basic needs like rent and utilities.
Moraa’s death in September brought intense public scrutiny and drew attention to the ongoing struggles of medical interns, who are often tasked with long, intense hours in understaffed hospitals. According to a statement from the interns’ fraternity, Moraa had been “pushed to her breaking point,” facing constant demands from supervisors while grappling with a lack of rest and basic resources.
The salary delay issue has led to a tense standoff between intern doctors, the doctor's unions, and the government. Since June, interns have staged two protests outside Afya House, demanding full implementation of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which promises a monthly stipend of Ksh206,000—a stark contrast to the government’s recent proposal of Ksh47,000 to Ksh70,000 due to budget constraints.
Muthoni expressed confidence that future pay delays would be avoided, stating, “I want to report confidently that we have a budget for intern doctors this year, and we will be paying where there’s no contention.”
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) in response to the news from the Ministry insists that negotiations are still ongoing, but could see them heading to the streets if no agreement is reached.
"Currently, negotiations are ongoing in the boardrooms, but it is not unknown to the courts and the government that negotiations are not limited to the boardrooms. We shall negotiate for 45 days in the boardroom, when necessary, we shall begin to negotiate on the streets and finally we shall negotiate at home," reads part of a statement from KMPDU Secretary General, Dr Davji Atellah.
Currently, negotiations are ongoing in the boardrooms, but it is not unknown to the courts and the government that negotiations are not limited to the boardrooms. We shall negotiate for 45 days in the boardroom, when necessary, we shall begin to negotiate on the streets and finally we shall negotiate at home.
Despite the government’s release of funds, friction remains between health sector officials and intern representatives. The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has firmly held to the original CBA terms, which promise intern doctors the Ksh206,000 stipend. KMPDU officials argue that the government’s current proposal does not reflect the interns’ critical contributions, particularly given the challenges they face on the front lines of healthcare.
The funding release follows a High Court ruling last month directing the government and the KMPDU to revisit negotiations. The court instructed both parties to conduct talks within the next 90 days to reach a lasting solution for intern doctors’ pay, emphasising that the discussions should align with the 2017 CBA terms.
“It is a matter of public knowledge that the interns have already been posted under an agreement between the Ministry of Health and the KMPDU,” the High Court ruling stated, indicating that existing arrangements should remain in effect until a consensus is achieved.
