'Occupy MoH': KMPDU announces fresh strikes if intern doctors not posted

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has announced plans to occupy the Ministry of Health's premises in Nairobi, effective Monday, July 8, 2024, until all medical interns are posted to health facilities nationwide in line with the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The CBA was ratified in May following a 56-day nationwide doctors' strike as part of a return-to-work formula (RTWF) inked between the union and the government.

In a statement on Tuesday, KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah highlighted that the union had been holding a series of meetings with the aim of implementing the return-to-work formula at Kenyatta National Hospital and the Ministry of Health.

According to Atellah, the internship posting debacle was to be resolved within 60 days as per the 2017 CBA.

"As we all know, the 60 days end on 7th of July 2024.So far we are in agreement with Ministry of Health that interns must be posted as per CBA 2017 before the lapse of the 60-day negotiation window as per our Return to Work Formula. The Ministry of Health is to have an engagement with Treasury before our final meeting set for Thursday, 4th July 2024," he said then.

In regards to post-graduate fees for medical interns, Dr. Atellah expressed that the Ministry of Health paid school fees to some of the MMED students but left out others.

"We have agreed that they will share with us this list amounting to Ksh.110 million. All the pending cases will be sorted in time to enable them to sit for examinations: especially those discriminated against by the illegal training committee decision to list some courses as non-priority," he said.

Concerning the 1-year contract employment of doctors at KNH, Dr. Atellah noted that the Ministry of Health and the hospital management will by the end of the week come up with a mechanism to expand the establishment that will ensure implementation of RTWF clause 7 on the translation of the 1-year contracts to renewable 3-year contracts.

"Their unfair gross salary of Ksh.120, 000 will also be harmonized to the standard rate of Ksh.300.000," he said.

Additionally, the doctors' union boss also chimed in on the remuneration of medical registrars.

"The Cabinet Secretary will write to all Level 6 and 5 hospitals. which offer postgraduate trainings to adhere to the agreed 40 hours a week working hours per registrar. Compensation for any extra hours of service is mandatory as per the agreement," he said.  

"From industrial action, we get a Return to Work Formula whose implementation requires the commitment of union members and leadership. We are stronger together!"