KMPDU warns of crisis as Coast doctors' strike notice ends

A doctors' union official in Mombasa County has sounded the alarm regarding a strike as the seven-day ultimatum issued to the government last weekend comes to a close today.

Ghalib Salim, secretary-general of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), said the Thursday deadline marks a critical juncture in the struggle for healthcare workers' rights and patient care in the Coast region.

Salim, a doctor, highlighted the "deafening silence" among nurses, whom he said find themselves shackled by infringements on their union rights despite their unwavering dedication.

“The nurses are suffering in silence. Their union has been infringed, but we know they are in full support ... clinical officers, nutritionists, lab technicians ... they are all suffering in silence,” he said, adding they are burned out.

The KMPDU noted that one of the main bones of contention is the "flagrant violation of legal working hours."

Salim complained of the prevalent practice of doctors enduring gruelling 12-hour shifts, "a blatant disregard for labour laws, that exacerbates mental health issues among healthcare professionals."

“If you visit public hospitals, you will find one doctor working for 12 hours. This is against the law. People are overworking and getting burned out," he told journalists at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.

"Right now, we can see our health workers undergoing mental health problems. If a doctor is not mentally prepared, how about our patients? How can we treat the 52–53 million Kenyans? We have to be sincere. Are we treating them as they should be or not?"

Ghalib Salim, secretary-general of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), addresses journalists at the Coast General hospital in Mombasa County on March 14, 2024. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

The crisis is being felt in six counties, but Salim said he singled out Mombasa for its failure to implement two court orders. He reiterated the non-negotiable demand for adherence to the return-to-work formula agreed upon in 2021-2022, stressing the need for accountability in the face of "empty promises."

Financial grievances compound the situation as healthcare workers are demanding reimbursement for deductions in their payslips.

“You say this agreement was made under the former county government. We are not accepting that because public service remains the same. Only people change," the doctor said.

"Our bare minimum is that we cannot go back to our workplaces unless all our demands are met. People are suffering, and our [cost of living] is skyrocketing. People cannot afford to have iftar,” he said, referring to the Ramadan fast that began on March 10 and will end on April 10.

As the ultimatum expires, patients find themselves in a crossfire. Salim said discharges are expedited for those stable enough to leave hospitals, as the minimal services available cannot suffice for those in intensive care units.

The impending departure of more than 600 doctors across the affected counties threatens to strain an already overwhelmed healthcare system.

“At Coast General, we have 300 doctors plus consultants. Kilifi County has 132, Lamu 46, Tana River 26, Kwale 90, and Taita Taveta 70, so all the workforce will be taken out," he said.

He called for transparency by elected officials, urging them to fulfil their obligations to the public and refrain from political grandstanding.

Meanwhile, KMPDU Deputy Secretary-General Dennis Miskellah on Wednesday announced the official start of the doctors' strike, saying they had reached a "point of no return" and that industrial action was the only way to force the government to the negotiating table.

Following the announcement, the Employment and Labour Court suspended the strike on Wednesday night, and on Thursday, hospitals across the country continued to attend to patients.

Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha and Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni have both asked doctors not to strike and to explore alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms involving all stakeholders.