Doctors willing to drop 18 demands, but interns' pay non-negotiable: KMPDU

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has maintained its stance on medical interns’ pay, saying the government's pledge to fulfil their other demands will not supersede the former.

KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah, in a statement on Tuesday, turned down the offer by the government to meet 18 of the union’s 19 demands, with the only exception being the contentious Ksh.206,000 salary for medical interns.

Dr. Atellah underscored the plight of the interns while referring to them as the “most vulnerable” group, saying the union is willing to compromise on all other demands so long as the young medics' remuneration is achieved.

“Dear Government, the doctors are saying that since you have publicly said that you conceded to 18 of our 19 demands (except internship), kindly take back the 18 and give us the 1. As a community, we are not used to abandoning the most vulnerable, and to us, interns are currently very vulnerable,” he stated.

KMPDU Deputy Secretary General Dr. Dennis Miskellah reiterated Dr. Atellah's remarks, while urging Health Cabinet Secretary Wafula Nakhumicha to take Ksh.3.4 billion from the Ksh.6.1 billion offer from the government and use it to to pay interns.

According to Dr. Miskellah, the doctors will be more than glad to accept the remaining Ksh.2.7 billion, so long as the interns are taken care of.

“Waziri @Nakhumicha_S, the doctors are saying that the 6.1 Billion you have offered them, kindly take 3.4 billion from it and pay the interns. We shall share the balance. As doctors our training and instinct is to protect the vulnerable. Amongst us, interns are the most vulnerable and we must stand with them,” he wrote in a separate statement.

The remarks by union bosses come as a rejoinder to the government which expected the doctors to give their stand on the 41-day-long strike following the conclusion of negotiations through the Whole of Nation Approach Committee chaired by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.

The doctors have been protesting the government’s failure to post medical interns and obey a 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on doctors’ labour terms.

CS Nakhumicha has since also threatened to move to court if KMPDU fails to call off the doctors’ strike following the protracted talks.

During a press conference in Nairobi on Tuesday, the CS said they have embarked on a review of the internship policy to align it with the inflow of interns.

She said the health ministry has Ksh.3.5 billion salary arrears accrued from 2017 to 2024 June, which will be paid in five instalments.

The CS also stated that the ministry has received Ksh.2.4 billion for payment of medical interns at the Ksh.70,000 monthly rate, which KMPDU has since turned down, demanding the Ksh.206,000 set in the CBA.