Murang’a, Sunday, March 24 2024, KNA by Bernard Munyao Doctors allied to the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) from the central region have vowed not to resume work until the government meets their demands.
On Saturday, the health practitioners who met for their annual general meeting in Murang’a stressed that they will not give in to threats and intimidations saying once the issues raised in their strike notice are implemented, they will report back to their work stations.
Led by the KMPDU national Secretary General, Davji Bhimji Atella, the medics observed that they are tired of unmet promises since 2017 when they signed Collective Bargaining Agreement with the government.
Atella noted that the first thing the government needs to do is to commence immediately printing appointment letters for intern doctors and confirm the doctors working on contract on a permanent basis.
The secretary remarked posting and remuneration of intern doctors need to be addressed promptly saying the intern should be paid from the time they commenced offering services.
“Some of these issues can be addressed very fast if the government wants to end this strike; let them start by posting intern doctors,” he said adding that the government has to prioritize the regular employment of doctors.
The secretary regretted that very few decisions factored in the 2017 CBA have been implemented saying doctors have been suffering since the last time they got salary increment was back in 2011.
Atella further stated that among their other demands as doctors is that their salary arrears since 2017 should be paid promptly adding in the new CBA they will demand for 150 percent salary increment.
“Doctors have been waiting for arrears of their basic salary accrued since 2017 when the CBA was signed,” he said.
The secretary further said as the government prepares to roll out universal health care, grievances raised and welfare of medical practitioners need to be addressed adequately.On his part, the chairperson of KMPDU central branch, James Githinji said now that health is a devolved function, county governments must strive to ensure the promotions and salary increments for doctors was done timely as deserved.
“Some counties have made great strides in implementing the CBA while others have done very little or nothing so far,” he said,Githinji also noted that lack of enough doctors in the hospitals leads to overworking and mental exhaustion of the existing doctors.
“In this region we have even lost doctors due to work-related stress, as the government wants quality healthcare for the citizens, it must prioritize the welfare of doctors,” Githinji said.
He cautioned counties against focusing on building hospitals without putting into account the personnel required to make those hospitals useful to the public.
“Many counties are very keen on infrastructure and have built many new hospitals but they have not employed any new doctors for years which makes the hospital not operate to their full potential,” he said.
Githinji called upon the national and county governments to work together in the implementation of the CBA so as to bring the ongoing doctors strike to an end.
He said the biting shortage of doctors especially in Kiambu county is worrying, saying less than 300 doctors serve a population of more than 2. 5 million people.
“Our demand is to have more doctors employed. It’s a matter of concern as in the central region we have a total of about 800 doctors. The region needs to have at least 6, 000 doctors,” averred Githinji.
Courtesy; KNA
