Nakuru Doctors threaten to down tools

Doctors in Nakuru County have threatened to down their tools after the County Government allegedly failed to pay salaries posted by a liaison agency since April 2016.

The medics, who include dentists, medical officers and pharmacists, had been posted by the Inter-Governmental Committee after completing their mandatory internship.

The Inter-Governmental Committee replaced the Transition Authority and is meant to coordinate relations and resolve disputes between the national and county governments.

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) South Rift Secretary General, Dr. Davji Atellah, said the county government had been promising to pay the 32 employees to no avail. He further added that no solution had been forthcoming even after engaging the health executive and county health committee.

Dr Atellah observed that the lack of budgetary allocations could affect the operations of public hospitals since most of them have a shortage of doctors.

When contacted, Nakuru Health Executive, Dr. Kabii Mungasi, said that the doctors had been paid on Wednesday, September 15, 2016. However, he could not explain why there was a delay in paying the doctors.

A letter written to the union on September 14, and seen by Radio Citizen has it that the doctors have only been paid for one month and does state the fate of the other five months.

Dr Atellah maintained that the money paid for the one month had not yet reflected in the doctors’ accounts. He also decried the lack of career progression saying that many doctors, who had applied for study leave, were not granted.

According to him, doctors require skills and knowledge to handle various ailments like cancer as most public hospitals do not have these specialists.