Doctors have called off the nationwide strike following the signing of a return-to-work agreement on Wednesday. The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU) and the government have both endorsed the agreement, bringing an end to the 56-day medics’ strike.
KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah, speaking after signing the agreement, highlighted a point of contention regarding the immediate posting of doctors’ interns as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). However, the government insisted on waiting for court litigation before implementing this aspect of the agreement. Consequently, doctor interns will now have to wait for 60 days before they can be posted.
Atellah emphasized that all doctor interns, including Medical officer interns, Pharmacists interns, and Dentists interns, will experience a delay in their postings. Despite this delay, he assured doctors that the union remains committed to protecting their rights as outlined in the CBA.
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The decision to sign the return-to-work formula was reached after a lengthy meeting with the National Advisory Council, the highest decision-making body. Atellah stated that doctors are expected to resume work within 24 hours, effectively ending the strike that began on March 13.
Addressing concerns from the government, Atellah mentioned that the union has decided to trust the promises made, acknowledging that certain issues, particularly regarding doctor interns, remain unresolved.
Doctors end strike as KMPDU and government reach agreement.
Council of Governors Anne Waiguru expressed gratitude to the union for agreeing to end the strike, emphasizing that dialogue and negotiations will continue to address outstanding issues.
The strike, which started on March 14, disrupted services across public health facilities. Doctors’ demands centered on the full implementation of their 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, with the posting of medical interns at a monthly salary of Sh206,000 being a key issue.
Of the 19 issues raised by doctors, six pertained to counties, nine to the national government, and four to both levels of government. Despite the government’s offer of a Sh70,000 monthly stipend, the strike persisted until the contentious issue of intern postings was resolved.
