Kenyan doctors issue strike notice over unfulfilled agreement

Kenyan doctors now say they will resort to a strike if talks with the government for the implementation of the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) fail to bear fruit.

This is according to the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Dr. Davji Bhimji Atellah, who spoke on Saturday after a 2-day Special Delegates Conference (SDC) held in Nakuru.

Dr. Atellah, in his address, said the CBA was signed after a protracted strike, but now seems to have been tossed to the wind, along with their grievances which included salary increments and posting of interns.

He further added that the union will henceforth institute dialogue with relevant stakeholders for the implementation of the CBA 2017-2021, while also negotiating for a new one, failure to which the medical professionals will take to the streets.

“The KMPDU signed and registered CBA 2017-2021. This CBA was the result of a very protracted and painful 100 days strike. However, it seems that the Ministry of Health, the County Governments and the parastatals in healthcare have forgotten that period,” said Dr. Atellah.

“They have abandoned the implementation of the CBA ignoring basic salary adjustments, creation of call rooms, posting of medical interns, employment, and provision of working tools and constant consultations that would make industrial harmony possible.”

He added: “We are going to embark on an intense month period of engagement with all stakeholders as a reminder that the CBA is alive while negotiating a new cycle of CBA 2021-2025. You can be sure that those engagements include all options available to unions including an industrial action. Let the country be on notice.”

The union further pushed for a review of the budget allocated to counties for the purpose of healthcare intimating that the currently existing one is insufficient as since healthcare is now a preserve of county governments.

“Being cognizant that health care is a devolved function, we demand that it is about time that the budgetary allocations to county governments be reviewed and increased to address majority of the issues that cause a lot of industrial disharmony between the health workforce and employers across all the 47 counties,” he noted.

“The KMPDU remains a key partner in healthcare and assures the government, all stakeholders and the Kenyan public of its availability to render advice, networks and expertise for the good of healthcare. To this effect, the SDC has endorsed a Panel of Advisors composed of experienced administrators, researchers, clinicians and advocates to periodically produce white papers, insights and policy briefs for government consideration.”