Intern doctors stage demonstrations outside Afya House

Intern doctors have for the second week running staged a demonstration outside Afya House to protest delayed payment of salaries.

The intern medics, who marched from their internship centre at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) to the Ministry of Health, accused the government of skewed priorities and plunging healthcare into a crisis.

The interns are protesting salary delays by the government and what they term as back-breaking labour with no compensation.

Even as they staged a sit-in at Afya House, the Health Cabinet Secretary, who appeared undisturbed by the doctors' plea, left in her motorcade, drawing the ire of these junior medics.

“When you go to any level 5 or 6 hospitals, we are the first people you meet serving you… The CS was around, but immediately after we arrived, she assumed us and left. What does that tell you? These people are not ready to listen to doctors,” said an Intern Doctor Dr. Elmi Adow Abdi.

The health sector, which barely recovered from the prolonged strike in April this year, has yet again been plunged into turmoil with the withdrawal of services by the intern doctors.

They are demanding immediate payment of their four months' salary arrears before they can return to work.

Dressed in white lab coats, the young medical professionals carried placards and a coffin, symbolizing their colleagues who had died from suicide after working for months with no pay.

"Failure to find a long-lasting solution will result in mental health issues for doctors,” Dr. Blasio Bukens Were said.

Dr Sharon Kipsiro added, “I have not had my pay for four months. Internships are draining mentally, physically, and emotionally. People are suicidal... I myself have had the thought cross my mind several times."

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah on his part said: "They’ve been out of work since last month and will stay away until they are paid in full. We have waited since July, and now we’re in December. The strike we are going on is not for negotiation; it’s for the implementation of the CBA and payment of intern doctors."

Doctors in Kiambu County and in the Central region have also vowed to down their tools and join their colleagues countrywide on the 22nd of this month if the emerging issues they raised are not addressed by then.