Government and KMPDU reach deal, intern doctors to earn Sh206,000 salary

The government has moved to avert a nationwide strike by intern doctors after reaching an agreement with the Ministry of Health and the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU).

The deal, overseen by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on Thursday evening, effectively calls off the planned strike, which was initially set for December 22, 2024.

“The Government values the expertise, sacrifice and patriotic input of all our health workers across the Country. The health of every Kenyan citizen is a priority for the Kenya Kwanza Administration. We welcome the selfless decision of the doctors to call off the intended industrial action and their willingness to continue engagement with the National and County Governments in the spirit of collaboration, consensus building and good faith,” Kindiki said in a statement.

The agreement, also signed by the Council of Governors (CoG), ensures that intern doctors will be paid a monthly salary of Sh206,000, as stipulated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed between the government and KMPDU in 2017.

KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah confirmed the signing of an agreement, noting that interns' salaries have been updated in their payslips, in full alignment with the terms outlined in the CBA.

Atellah further announced that 50 per cent of the basic salary arrears are now being disbursed, with Kwale County, through KCB Bank, leading as the first to process these payments.

Additionally, he noted that fees have been paid for 44 doctors, enabling them to continue their professional development without financial barriers.

“A budget of Sh 65 million has also been allocated to support registrars, who are encouraged to submit their documents promptly to access this funding,” he said.

He noted that they are closely monitoring the disbursement process, and they expect all doctors across the counties to receive their payments by Monday or Tuesday next week.

"This progress is a testament to the dedication and collective strength of our union, and we remain steadfast in our pursuit of equity, respect, and fairness in the medical profession,” he said.

Atellah had previously expressed frustration over the government’s failure to honour the terms of the 2017 CBA, which led to the threat of industrial action.

"The national and county governments have totally disregarded our agreements. It is an extraordinary time when promises and agreements are not honoured and mean nothing, a time when Collective Bargaining Agreements that have been honoured and respected for over 7 years can be bastardised by one government directive," he said when issuing the strike notice on December 3.

He also condemned the government’s failure to comply with court orders, particularly a ruling issued on October 26, 2024, which upheld the CBA regarding intern doctors' remuneration.

"The doctor intern wages have been reduced by 70 per cent, a situation unforeseen in workers' history in this country and the world over. It is against the backdrop of these unfulfilled promises and impunity on our interns by both the national and county governments that the 10th KMPDU special delegate sitting on 30th November 2024 ratified NAC decision for industrial action," Atellah added.

With the strike now averted, the resolution is seen as a significant step in addressing the concerns of intern doctors and avoiding further disruptions in the healthcare secto