Doctors say they'll not bow to threats, vow to continue with strike

Doctors have expressed profound disappointment at their employers' response to their strike notice, saying they have shifted towards threats and intimidation tactics, instead of addressing the core issues raised.

This comes as the strike which started on March 14, 2024, entered its third week.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) emphasised their unwavering stance, asserting that they will not succumb to coercion until all concerns outlined in the strike notice are satisfactorily addressed.

"The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) condemns in the strongest terms the recent threats issued by various county governors, management of national referral hospitals and Ministry of Health demanding doctors to return to work under duress," KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah said.

"We categorically denounce such attempts to intimidate and coerce our members into abandoning our legitimate struggle for better working conditions and healthcare services for all Kenyans. Doctors deserve decent and dignified work."

The union urged their employers to redirect their focus towards resolving the multitude of issues impacting healthcare workers across national and county institutions.

Atellah said there's an urgent need to prioritise the welfare of healthcare professionals and the health of the citizens they serve, over trivial political maneuvering.

"We want to advise employers to focus their attention and efforts on addressing the myriad of issues affecting the healthcare workers in their respective places of work, national and county institutions. It is high time priority was given to the welfare of healthcare workers and the health of the citizens served. Petty politicking is to be shunned in place of service delivery," he said.

Court orders

They also cautioned their employers against the misuse of court orders to compel the union into suspending the ongoing strike.

The Council of Governors (CoG) during their meeting on March 27, 2024, regarding the ongoing doctors' strike, at their offices at Delta House in Westlands, Nairobi. (Photo: CoG)

Atellah emphasised that those seeking recourse in court must do so with integrity, underscoring the importance of fairness and transparency in legal proceedings.

"While we respect the judiciary, it is unacceptable for employers who are in contempt of court orders to weaponise the legal system against doctors fighting for Decent and Dignified Work. He who comes to the court must come with clean hands," Atellah said.

He affirmed that strikes are a fundamental aspect of collective bargaining and serve as a crucial last resort for workers to prompt reluctant employers into genuine negotiations.

Additionally, he emphasised the unwavering determination of doctors to advocate for an improved healthcare system for all Kenyans, stating that no form of intimidation, including threats, legal manoeuvres, or even death threats, would deter them from their mission.

"The government must acknowledge the gravity of the issues raised in our strike notice and take immediate steps to resolve them. These are not issues that can be swept under the carpet or delayed any longer. As doctors, we have crossed the Rubicon, and we will not relent until all our demands in the strike notice are adequately addressed," the SG said.

The union has urged the government to prioritise the health and well-being of patients in public healthcare facilities, many of whom are currently facing difficulties accessing care due to the ongoing strike.

They also called for genuine dialogue with the union, emphasizing the need for good faith engagement to swiftly address the underlying issues causing the strike.

Among the demands doctors want to be resolved include; settling seven years' worth of basic salary arrears, expediting promotions, recruiting more doctors to combat chronic understaffing, providing comprehensive medical cover, resolving salary delays, converting discriminatory contracts to Permanent and Pensionable terms, reinstating illegally dismissed doctors, facilitating specialised training, deploying medical interns, ensuring fair compensation for post-graduate doctors, and fostering continuous progressive labour relations.