Doctor’s Strike Insight: 3 Days to KMPDU Official’s Arrest Deadline

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists (KMPDU) Union officials a have trying moment this week despite the prayers held in Nairobi to seek divine intervention. With the risk of failing jail sentence, doctors have to fasten the talks to resolve the impasse which has now entered the 8 week.

Strike Insight

Dr. Mailu, however, maintained that the government cannot pay the high salaries the doctors are pushing the government to. He has instead insisted that the medics should agree to re-negotiate the highly touted 2013 CBA.

“What they are asking for is beyond our reach. They should tone down on their demands so that we can move forward. Kenyans are suffering because of this strike,” he stated.

“If we analyze the situation, the best we can do is to negotiate with the doctors despite their stance though they should respect the court’s decision to call off the strike,” he added.

On the flip side, however, KMPDU Chairman Samuel Oroko took a stand that the seven officials are ready to face the jailed sentence over flopping negotiations to woo the government act in their favor. He holds that the “return to work formula available is the implementation of the 2013 CBA,” he said.

Mr. Oroko has faulted the government of neglecting to engage the doctors on the 2013 matter, which was agreed upon by the two parties.

Last week, the government moved to assure Kenyans that it had redoubled its efforts to ensure access to health services by members of the public as the industrial action by doctors continues.

Currently, the government has engaged over 2000 faith-based mission hospital facilities to provide delivery and emergency services, monitoring of over 6,000 public dispensaries, health centers and outpatient departments in public hospitals. The complex medical services such as operations cannot be done at the moment across the country in public hospitals.

In a statement, the ministry however insists that the contentious 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement is not registered in court and as a result cannot be implemented, ranting it a show off by the medics.

Government offer rejected

Recently, President Uhuru Kenyatta offered a 40 percent salary rise to the ranting doctors’ current remuneration packages. They have since remained on the streets, demanding that the government honors the CBA which is a ploy to have their salary balloon by 300 percent as well as improve their working conditions.

According to the 40-percent-incease-offer, an intern doctor would take home a minimum of Sh196,989 or a maximum of Sh208,236 per month, while that of the highest paid doctor at Job Group T was slated for a salary of Sh472,060 at the lowest level or a maximum of Sh582,980, a figure highly coveted by other public servants.

In what seems a retaliatory conspiracy, the Daily Nation reported on Monday that the new butch of incoming doctors will no longer have a job security of being hired permanently, but will have to enter into term contracts.