The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) is calling for immediate and unconditional reinstatement of doctors fired by the Kenyatta National Hospital.
In an interview with a local media house on Saturday, August 21, KMPDU Secretary General, Dr. Davji Atellah, accused the management of the country's largest referral hospital of illegally sacking medics.
Dr. Atellah now wants the medics reinstated immediately and treated respectfully, accusing the KNH leadership of continued mistreatment of doctors.
He added that the medic's body has a valid court order that the KNH management has deliberately refused to respect.
“Amid these issues, we know the pandemic is here with us and the doctors' services are highly needed," stated Dr. Atellah.
He accused the health sector leadership of failing to handle doctors with the respect they deserve despite putting their lives at risks to attend to thousands of patients daily.
Dr. Atellah said that medics will down their tools if the Ministry of Health does not address urgent and pressing issues which include hiring of more doctors, reinstating the fired ones and improving their working conditions.
The KMPDU Secretary General singled out Laikipia, Kirinyaga and Kitui counties as regions with the highest cases of mistreating doctors.
“Today, as the union, we have decided and we are putting this out clearly, that we are warning KNH management that despite saying we will work with social dialogue, the hospital has failed to obey court orders,and we will be forced to evoke Section 41 of the constitution,” the doctor mentioned.
He proceeded to say that they will call for industrial action and demonstrations at KNH.
“From next week every Wednesday, we will be having demonstrations outside KNH management offices to compel the hospital to reinstated the fired doctors and to obey court orders."
Besides reinstatement of the doctors, the union is also demanding immediate payment of risk allowances, which were withdrawn, and adequate protective gear.
