National government officials led by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei and Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha on Monday allowed the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) a window until Tuesday, April 23, to give them time to conclude their discussions and give a way forward to the ongoing strike.
Speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Monday, the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei remarked that the two parties — the government and the doctors' union— had agreed on virtually everything except the contentious issue of posting of intern doctors.
According to Koskei, the talks had already achieved 96% of the desired outcome.
"The latest meeting was yesterday where we had candid discussions and we largely agreed on almost all the issues except one. The issues concerning the counties were cleared 100 per cent. The issues concerning the national government were cleared except one and that is the issue of payment of interns," Koskei said while addressing journalists.
"We agreed with the union leadership goes back to report to their council and membership so that they can ratify for us to come back and sign the return to work agreement. They are still in the meeting, of which we have decided it is becoming night, we need to give them more time, to conclude discussions with their membership, so that tomorrow, once they are ready, we can convene here, sit down and sign the return to work formula," he added.
This was after the doctors union held a day-long meeting to deliberate on the offer made by the government after negotiations held by both parties.
Moses Kuria, the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service echoed Koskei's sentiments stating that the government had already complied with 17 out of 18 demands made by the doctors.
“In negotiations, people can not always get what they are looking for and as a government, we have bent over backwards and made many concessions,” Moses Kuria stated.
Kuria also revealed that part of the agreement that the parties had was aimed at guiding future engagements between the doctors and the government.
The CS further reassured the doctors that the government was committed to retaining the agreement despite previous failed attempts to solve the perennial issues.
All national government officials and county governments' representatives stressed that the painstaking negotiations were aimed at ensuring that the doctors head back to hospitals amid a crippling paralysis.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha further revealed that the Treasury had disbursed the money to fund the Linda Mama programme.
The programme had been halted at several public hospitals over the lack of funds to facilitate the free maternal health programme.
However, with the capitation of Ksh4.3 billion from the Treasury, hospitals which operate under the programme got what they need to continue operating.
