Doctors through their representative union, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) issued a seven-day strike notice on Monday.
The medics through KMPDU’s Deputy Secretary General, Dennis Miskellah stated that following the lapse of the seven-day notice, the doctors will down their tools beginning Sunday, March 9.
According to the Union, doctors will demand that the government address issues pertaining to the promotion of doctors to ensure their career progression.
Further, the doctors are demanding that the government issue comprehensive medical coverage to them which has reportedly been scrapped in the newly proposed Social Healthcare Insurance Fund (SHIF).
“We have met today as the National Advisory Committee Council and we have agreed to do our nationwide strike starting Sunday next week,” explained Miskellah.
More of the concerns raised by the medics include the delayed posting of medical interns to hospitals within the country after the Ministry of Health cited a lack of funds to facilitate the process.
Miskellah also added that the medics were yet to be issued with support from the government in regards to ensuring their education advancement opportunities relating to postgraduate fee payment and granting of study leaves.
Further, the doctors have decried that their pension fund remains a bone of contention that the government needs to solve.
According to the doctors’, they were already on a go-slow which was expected to culminate in a protest at the Treasury and the Ministry of Health offices.
The medics are also protesting against the assault of KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah and injuries sustained by 25 interns during protests on February 29.
While making the announcement Miskellah noted that the doctors' strike was slated for later this year in June but owing to the circumstances at hand, they had moved up the date.
On Sunday, the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) stated that if the doctor's issues were not solved they would join them in downing the tools, a move that may paralyse the health sector.
