Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Wafula is now optimistic that the ongoing negotiations between Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists (KMPDU) and his ministry will be fruitful.
“ My office has already initiated conversations around the issues raised by KMPDU and I am persuaded that we will find a common ground as patriots serving one nation,” she stated.
According to the Health ministry boss, the situation is under control, hence urging all professional associations and labor unions in the sector
“Therefore, I implore doctors and indeed the entire health workforce to be empathetic during this festive season as we engage the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) on the strike notice issued by the union” she urged.
CS Wafula spoke while briefing the media on her Ministry’s achievements over the last one hundred days on Thursday.
This comes days after KMPDU issuing a strike notice that will commence in January 2023.
The Doctors, through a press conference lamented that the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was signed in 2017-21 has not been implemented.
“County governments and parastatals have abandoned the implementation of the CBA, ignoring basic salary adjustments, creation of call rooms and posting of medical interns,” they said.
Further, the doctors claimed that more than 1000 interns have stayed at home for more than a year awaiting posting, employment and provision of working tools.
“Doctors continue to be trained by more than 9 universities in Kenya yet they remain unemployed and exploited to the detriment of quality of healthcare practice. Counties have extreme shortage, some even with 1 consultant serving the whole county,” they said.
KMPDU also want the shortage of doctors in hospitals to be addressed before they go back to work.