KMPDU puts Gov’t on notice after another intern doctor dies by suicide

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has accused the Kenya Kwanza government of neglecting the needs of intern doctors by failing to honour the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah, in a statement released on Tuesday, fingered the President William Ruto administration after yet another intern doctor – Dr. Francis Njuki – died by suicide.

Dr. Atellah intimated that the medic took his own life after facing hardships as he was yet to be paid a salary since August this year.

The doctors’ union boss likened Dr. Njuki’s situation to that of Dr. Desree Moraa, who also died by suicide under similar conditions in September this year.

“This morning, we woke up to the sad news that we had lost another intern doctor to suicide. Dr. Francis Njuki was until his demise a pharmacist at Thika level 5 where he had worked since August 2024 with no salary. Earlier in September we had lost Dr. Desiree Moraa under similar circumstances,” said Dr. Atellah.

“This now brings the total number of interns whom we have lost to suicide to 2 in 2 months, and I am aware of 5 who have attempted suicide and were rescued and hospitalized. Their crime was choosing a career in medicine. How many more doctor interns must die for this government to listen to us and honor the agreement we signed in 2017?”

Dr. Atellah went ahead to urge the government to implement the 2017 CBA, failure to which he seemingly implied that the doctors may proceed to down their tools and abandon their work stations.

He blamed the Kenya Kwanza administration for the deaths of the young doctors, noting that the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme will not take off if the well-being of healthcare workers is not properly looked into.

He further noted that the union will on Wednesday address a press conference where they will issue the way forward on the matter of intern remuneration as ordered by the courts.

“As a Union, we find these inhumane acts by a government that does not care about its health workers unacceptable. We demand immediate payment of the intern doctors' salaries at the rate agreed upon 7 years ago. The Kenya Kwanza government cannot deafen our ears with UHC choruses when they clearly do not care for the health workers who are supposed to provide that UHC,” stated the KMPDU SG.

“We blame the government for our two young colleagues who have since succumbed to depression. We say that enough is enough and tomorrow the 27th day of November we shall address a press conference about our next steps. We have given the government more than 6 months to solve this problem as ordered by the courts but it is clear that our calmness is being misconstrued for weakness.”

He added: “The time for empty promises is over and we demand an end to this culture of lies. The government of Kenya will have to decide in the next few days whether to have doctors in the hospitals.”