The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board has issued a stern warning to striking doctors after they threatened to force medics in private hospitals to join them on the streets.
The board Chairman George Magoha stated that action would be taken against anyone who interferes with operations at private facilities.
The Board warned that the move would be a gross and unwarranted violation of the rights of Kenyans to access medical services, adding that security agents would be put in place to ensure that the plan does not succeed.
On Thursday, the mass demos took an interesting twist after the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) vowed to close down private and mission hospitals that have maintained normal operations during the strike that is now in its fifth day.
However, the Chairman of the Kenya Association of Private Hospitals, Dr Abdi Mohammed, stated that their hospitals may not close but added that privately run clinics would close just for a day on Dec 13, 2016, as the union will be making a court appearance.
On Monday, health workers made good their threat to down their tools in a bid to push the government to implement a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) they signed in June 2013.
The strike by the nearly 5,000 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and interns is seeking to push for a review of job groups, promotions, deployment and transfer of medical officers, as well as remuneration.
