Doctors Offer Govt Ultimatum in Talks Over Planned Strike

Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) secretary general Davji Atellah (centre) flanked by other doctors during the seventh special delegates conference in November 2022.
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) secretary general Davji Atellah (centre) flanked by other doctors during the seventh special delegates conference in November 2022.
The Standard

Doctors agreed to engage with the Government in a bid to avert a nationwide strike that was scheduled to begin on January 6, 2023.

In a letter addressed to the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU) members on Friday, December 23, union officials indicated that talks with various government agencies were underway.

The union's Secretary General, Davji Atellah, revealed that the officials had already met with a conciliator in an attempt to have contentious issues addressed.

According to KMPDU, the Government owed each doctor Ksh900,000 for failure to implement Collecting Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) between 2017 to 2021.

Health workers on strike
Health workers during a strike in Kenya.
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Consequently, the SG announced that the conciliator would meet with government representatives on January 5, 2023, with another joint meeting slated for January 9, 2023.

"KMPDU is tasked with the responsibility of providing details of specific doctors with complaints of comprehensive medical cover, release for postgraduate training and promotions.

"We are required to also provide details of specific County Governments who violate CBA clauses among other individual claims grievances," read the letter in part.

KMPDU was also tasked to resubmit proposals for CBA 2022-2025 to county governments for processing.

Nonetheless, the SG underlined that it was important for the government to show goodwill in order for the strike to be averted.

"The Ministry of Health and county governments have not obeyed the court order 13 months later and the CBA five years later. We hope engagement will ensure total implementation of the CBA otherwise it will be a waste of time," the official stated.

According to insiders, one of the issues that necessitated the meeting was the fact that doctors were always faulted for the loss of lives witnessed when the medics down their tools.

However, the medics argued that lives could be saved were there were proper resources invested in the healthcare sector given the taxes Kenyans pay.

"This time, all healthcare workers in the public sector, through KMPDU, are agitating for the proper healthcare structure that the common wanjiku (citizens) and any other taxpayer deserve in their home country. 

"More meetings are scheduled to avert the looming strike. The union has committed to working round the clock during this festive season to ensure that Kenyans keep receiving essential services," an insider told Kenyans.co.ke.

Kenyatta National Hospital.
The Accident and Emergency entrance at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Kenyans.co.ke