‘No deal, strike still on!’ Doctors reject Gov’t offer, storm out of mediation talks

Talks between the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) and officials from the ministries of health and labour for a return-to-work formula collapsed on Tuesday.

This as the medics accused the government of treating the matter casually and sending lawyers instead of senior ministry officials as had been agreed upon.

The collapse meant that the strike ran into day 7 and is likely to get worse with 8 additional unions set to join from next week.

KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah led other officials from the union in staging a walk-out from the meeting, which now means the medical crisis in the country is likely to get worse as key medical institutions are already hit hard by the strike.

“We were supposed to meet Principal Secretaries from the ministry of health and labour to iron out our issues, but what we are seeing are lawyers sent to us as if we are in a court of law,” said Dr. Atellah.

KMPDU is protesting an alleged 91 percent reduction of medical intern officers’ monthly stipend as highlighted in a letter addressed to Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha by Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) Chairperson Lyn Mengich dated March 13, 2024.

“They are even worsening the situation by deducting the remuneration of medical interns. This is in breach of the 2017 CBA agreement. We were not invited to the talks yet we are the main stakeholders. We reject it,” added Dr. Atellah.

The health crisis in the country is likely to get worse after 8 additional unions, including the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), announced that they will formally join their colleagues at KMPDU in the strike from next week.

KUCO Chairman Peter Wachira said: “We have said enough is enough, this government is not serious in listening to our grievances.”

The unions spoke shortly after submitting their memoranda before the National Assembly’s Health Committee at Parliament buildings.

This as the Management of Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital suspended admission of patients announcing that the facility will only provide outpatient services and attend strictly to critical walk in patients as a result of the ongoing doctor's strike.

On March 15th, the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) announced that it had scaled down elective theatre services to allow for emergencies, attributing the move to the doctors' strike.