Governor Mbarire recalls retired doctors as Embu medics begin strike

Mbarire, while addressing patients at the hospital, said the county has engaged services of private and retired doctors to handle the health management crisis.

She at the same time urged the doctors to resume their duties as they continued with round table talks to find solutions to their grievances.

The governor said that the demands put forward by the doctors couldn't be addressed immediately since the county was currently financially crippled.

The governor, accompanied by MCAs, said the doctors' strike has come at the wrong time as Kenyan grappled with the economic situation as well as students seeking a medical examination.

The MCAs led by Majority Leader Peter Muriithi who is also Mbeti North Ward Representative vowed to support Governor Mbarire as she seeks to resolve the health crisis.

Muriithi added that the County Assembly has pumped millions of shillings into the health docket and doctors ought not to go on strike.

The medics in Embu downed their at midnight following the lapse of a 21-day strike notice issued to the county government for failing to implement a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on crosscutting issues including job stagnation, shortage of doctors, non-remittance of statutory deductions and denial of study leave.

Eastern region KMPDU Chairman Dr Dennis Mugambi said despite giving the strike notice, no action had been taken by their employer, leaving them with no option but to institute an industrial action.