Over 500 Kenyan doctors head to Nakuru for Special Delegates Conference

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) is set to hold its Special Delegates Conference (SDC) on November 25-26, 2022 in Nakuru.

KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah, in a notice to the union’s members seen by Citizen Digital, said the conference follows a NEC meeting held on October 1, which was occasioned by the postponement of the Annual Delegates Conference (ADC) that was initially scheduled for May 28, 2022.

“As per KMPDU Constitution Article (V). sec (C) 3, only delegates duly nominated and mandated by Branch executive Committees shall attend the SDC, any such delegate shall represent twenty bonafide KMPDU members,” read the notice.

Dr. Atellah, speaking to Citizen Digital on Thursday, revealed that the SDC will see the attendance of over 500 doctors from all parts of the country at the Sarova Woodlands Hotel in Nakuru.

The KMPDU boss described the SDC as the “highest decision-making organ” of the union, adding that it will set the agenda for all its operations.

“Doctors are coming from all facilities in all the counties…the SDC is the point of convergence for how we engage the county and national governments, and the agendas we want to put in place. Among the things we’re going to discuss is the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of 2017-2021, and whether or not the government has actually implemented it,” he said.

“We’re going to discuss whether the employment of 1,200 doctors every year as per the CBA is happening, and look at the Scheme of Service that we have currently to see whether it is helping the doctors and the public or if it’s actually the reason for the inadequate healthcare in the country.”

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) will not be spared either as it is also on the doctors’ chopping block, with Dr. Atellah intimating that the conference will also look into why the State agency has seemingly made it difficult for the CBA to be implemented.

“We’re going to set the agenda for the things that we’re going to prioritise to ensure that there’s better healthcare in the country in 2023. We want to have a joint framework to sort out all the existing issues, and decide on actions to take or counties that have frustrated doctors.”

The KMPDU Secretary General further added that the medical practitioners will use the conference as a platform to analyse the Kenya Kwanza manifesto and come up with ways to help the government implement its promises to the healthcare sector, as well as keep it accountable.