Nationwide doctors' strike still on, KMPDU says after talks fail

The doctors' strike is still on, their union has said, noting that although some discussions have taken place, no concrete solutions to their grievances have been reached.

The board of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU), led by Secretary-General Davji Atellah, announced this on Monday after their officials walked out of a meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Health.

Atellah also noted that there hasn't been any satisfactory provision of minimal services.

"We will persist with our strike until our demands, which are crucial for our members' well-being, are met. The directive advocating for a nationwide approach supersedes any order to suspend the strike; thus, our industrial action stands," he said.

The secretary-general urged doctors at Kenyatta National and the Moi Teaching and Referral hospitals to intensify efforts for a swift resolution.

He highlighted the non-fulfilment of commitments by the Ministry of Health, particularly concerning the delayed posting of interns scheduled for February, March, and April.

"Our trust in commitments is built upon past actions. Despite agreements dating back to January 2023, both at national and county levels, there has been a failure to implement them," he said, stressing that mere promises won't suffice.

At the morning meeting between the Ministry of Health and the KMPDU, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha announced that the interns would be posted from April 1, 2024. The ministry and the union had clashed on the posting date.

In her address to the media, Nakhumicha said the government had made significant progress in addressing doctors' issues.

The doctors' demands include settling basic salary arrears spanning seven years, dispatching intern posting letters, honouring collective bargaining agreements from 2017, and ensuring they are employed under the Universal Health Coverage initiative.

On the matter of posting interns, which lies within the ministry's mandate, it was agreed that the union will take part in the review of the internship policy to ensure it is aligned with the UHC and addresses all existing issues.