Govt, KMPDU in talks to avert doctors' strike in January

The government, through the Council of Governors (CoG), has moved in to stop the doctors’ strike planned for January 2023 over the State's failure to implement the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

This comes as the CoG Health Committee Chair Muthoni Njuki and his Labour counterpart Johnson Sakaja on Wednesday engaged the top leadership of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) led by Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah, National Chairman Dr. Abi Mwachi and Treasurer Dr. Mercy Bwire.

Dr. Atellah, speaking to Citizen Digital, said another meeting was set for on or before January 5, 2023, and expressed hope that the engagements would be fruitful.

The KMPDU boss stated that Governors Njuki and Sakaja committed to ensuring that the union’s demands are met and that the strike, which could possibly cripple the country, is fully averted.

“They reiterated their commitment to honor the issues of the CBA 2017-2021, and they also committed to work with the union to ensure that the supplies for medicine and equipment are available and the framework for employment of doctors is met…all those things that we were demanding,” said Dr. Atellah.

“We have another meeting scheduled before January 5th so that we can avert the looming strike that was to start from January 6th as per scheduled. As a union we’re committed to engage with them because we have also seen goodwill from the Health and Labour committees of CoG as well as from the Ministry of Health to ensure that once we have put pen to paper on the issues that we’re working on, we will ensure that there is a good working environment for both parties.”

He further added that: “We’re hopeful, as a union, that the meeting was more involving because we had the decision makers who committed to ensure that whatever we’re demanding is complied with, which is that the CBA that was signed be implemented. We’re hopeful that the next meeting will be fruitful and avert the looming industrial action.”

In a subsequent statement released to the press, the KMPDU Secretary General noted that the meeting centred around fixing the perennial salary delays, non-remittance of statutory deductions and insurance premiums, as well as comprehensive medical insurance for all doctors.

He further added that they also discussed the posting of unemployed doctors, provision of adequate supplies, post-graduate training and promotion of doctors, posting of interns, and the creation of centralized management of human resource.

“On the strength of the above-mentioned plan of action, we urge all our members to remain vigilant, provide the urgently required data which we shall seek through our branch leaders. We also expect your availability and active participation should we require your energy to fuel our action," read the letter.

The government recently invited the doctors to the table for dialogue and appointed a mediator to facilitate the said talks between the various parties involved.

KMPDU was also urged to call off the planned industrial action so as to give way for the talks to begin on a clean slate.

“After a careful review, it has been noted the intended withdrawal of labour is being contemplated by members who are involved in the provision of service of an essential nature and it is therefore in the public interest for the Cabinet Secretary to urgently intervene to avert the union's threatened action,” read the letter signed by J.N Mwanzia for the Commissioner of Labour.