Gov’t Agrees to Post Interns in Last Ditch Talks With KMPDU to Avert January Strike

• KMPDU has reiterated that doctors will down their tools as planned if the ongoing negotiations with the government hit a deadlock
• The union’s SG Davji Bhimji Atellah disclosed that the ongoing talks with health stakeholders had so far been fruitful
• Among the issues that the union want to be implemented as captured in the 2017-2021 CBA is the promotion of medical doctors to their right job groups

The national government has undertaken to post medical interns in January 2023 and facilitate their payment over the period.

The incentive by the Ministry of Health (MoH) is the latest by the government in its efforts to avert a looming doctors’ strike scheduled for next week.

In the latest talks held on Friday, December 30 with the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Wafula made the commitment.

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KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah disclosed that the ongoing talks with health stakeholders were bearing fruits, adding that they were for dialogue.

““In the meantime, the CS undertook to ensure that MoH will post Medical Interns by 2nd week of January 2023 and payment of post-graduate fees to be facilitated in due course,” said Atellah.

Planned industrial action

Atellah divulged that the discussions were still holding meetings planned for next week before giving doctors the way forward.

“In continuance with our promise on being open to dialogue, Today, through an invite by the CS Health Hon Susan Wafula, we furthered those discussions. Among other issues, the CS agreed to make the necessary follow-up on the ongoing multisectoral engagement convened by the Ministry of Labour for 3rd January 2023, whereafter an update will come in the meeting scheduled for 4th January 2023 at The Council of Governors,” he said.

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The Council of Governors (CoG) had earlier moved to stop the planned strike by committing to ensure their demands are met by the government.

KMPDU issues strike notice

In other news, Atellah decried that despite issuing a strike notice early this month, not much has been done by the national and county governments to address the matter.

Bhimji said if their grievances would not have been addressed by January 5, 2023, then doctors across the country will strike.

“80% of that CBA has not been implemented. If we will not have a meaningful engagement within the next 30 days, then on December 28, we will give a seven-day strike notice. Thereafter, at around January 5, 2023, all the doctors in the country will be on strike. As I said, we don’t threaten, we are going to strike,” said the angry Bhimji.

The SG said all 47 counties, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service have been served with the strike notice.

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“The intent of strike expires on January 28, the respondents have been calling after the notice but nothing has materialised yet. We are still open for negotiations,” he added.

Source: TUKO.co.ke