All Medical schools and Colleges of Health Sciences are at risk of being shut down in February following a strike notice by medical practitioners.
On Thursday, the Secretary-General of Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Dr Ouma Oluga issued a strike notice citing the Government's not committing to fulfilling the Return to Work Formula (RTWF).
"Medical Schools in the country will be closed with effect from 1/2/18 if the government does not honor the RTWF signed in March 2017 between KMPDU and the Government of Kenya. The RTWF has been selectively applied leaving out doctors in teaching institutions.
"KMPDU is thus issuing a stern warning to all Universities with Medical Schools, Colleges of Health Sciences and the Ministry of Higher Education that any further continued discrimination of these doctors would leave the union with no option but to take legal and or industrial action that could occasion closure of both all Medical Schools and Colleges of Health Sciences and the K.N.H, MTRH among other referral hospitals where these over 600 specialists offer services," the statement read in part.
[caption caption="File image of KMTC Students"]
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In the statement seen by Kenyans.co.ke, Dr Ouma explained that as per the agreement all public universities were expected to pay lecturers the allowances negotiated by KMPDU effective 1st January 2017.
"The training of medical doctors, dentists and pharmacists is seriously under threat due to failure by all public universities to incorporate and pay lecturers who are doctors the Allowance negotiated by KMPDU. These allowances were agreed to be paid effective 1st January 2017," he stated.
In the statement, the Secretary general directed all the medical facilities to forward the cumulative financial costs for budgeting by Treasury.
"We deeply sympathize with the unfortunate plight of these highly esteemed medical professionals who have had to endure over one year waiting patiently for their medical risk allowance and the emergency call allowance.
"However, numerous engagements with the Universities Administration, the Ministry of Education department in charge of Higher Education, and the Ministry of Health has yielded no fruits leaving the doctors lecturers and the union with no option but to believe that collective action is now called for," Dr Ouma concluded.
[caption caption="File image of Medical students at Moi University"]
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In 2017, doctors went on strike for 100 days that saw the signing of the RTWF deal.
Earlier in November, the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) called off the strike which has lasted for five months.
The strike came to an end after the nurses reached a return to work agreement with the Council of Governors (CoG).
The health workers decided to return to work on November 3 after the government agreed to raise their perks, including uniform and nursing allowance.
