Health CS orders posting of medical interns from April 1

The government, in a bid to end the health crisis occasioned by a nationwide doctors’ strike, has agreed to post intern doctors to various hospitals starting next month.

Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha on Monday announced that the interns will report to their new station duties on April 1, 2024.

Nakhumicha agreed to the proposal tabled by the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) in a tense meeting held by the two parties to resolve the stalemate around the posting of interns.

The KMPDU will take part in the review of the internship policy to ensure it is aligned with Universal Health Coverage and addresses all other emerging and contentious issues.

The review process, which is already underway, is chaired by Acting Health Director-General Patrick Amoth.

"We have received confirmation from the Treasury and beginning April 1 which is in two weeks, we are going to begin posting of all the interns," Nakhumicha stated in a media briefing.

Last month, she had blamed the Treasury for the impasse, which she attributed to delayed budget approval.

Several meetings between her ministry and the union were futile, as they continued to clash over the posting date for the interns. In efforts to push the CS to act, the medical practitioners held a nationwide strike from Thursday last week, which paralysed health services.

Following Monday's breakthrough, Nakhumicha hoped that the strike would be called off as the medics’ union had requested time to speak to its members before issuing a way forward on whether they would resume work.

She further disclosed that a team led by Amoth was on the ground to assess any impact of the strike on the healthcare services in the country.

"Services have largely been uninterrupted in many of the facilities and with the goodwill that we have had in the discussion this morning, we hope services continue to be provided to Kenyans," Nakhumicha said.

The CS added that the government has made significant progress in addressing other issues hampering operations within her ministry.

On the contentious matter of the lapsed Collective Bargaining Agreement, it was agreed that the ministry proceed with the negotiations. The striking medics had written to the ministry on the CBA, with the CS responding with a counteroffer, but both parties were yet to hold talks and resolve the matter.

The other grievances that need to be discussed through a multi-stakeholder approach will be tackled in a meeting scheduled for this week.

"We have agreed that within this week, the ministry will call for a meeting so that matters in the CBA can be addressed and negotiations can begin," the CS announced.