'There is no money!' Gov't maintains it will not pay intern doctors Ksh.206K

The Head of Public Service Felix Koskei says the government cannot afford to pay medical interns Ksh.206,000 per month, and that the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) should agree to the terms provided by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

KMPDU wants medical interns paid Ksh.206,000 as per the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), while the government wants to pay a maximum of Ksh.70,000 in line with SRC recommendations.

Koskei, however, says the government will not pay according to the doctors’ demands.

“The government has no money, there is no money to pay Ksh.206,000, let them take the Ksh.70,000 that is on offer,” said Koskei.

“We are running under a limited budget, the economic situation is dire, the entire workforce may not get an increment, the interns until they finish 1 year…get the licence.”

This comes as the nationwide doctors’ strike clocked one month on Friday, as both KMPDU and the government are unwilling to compromise on their demands.

Medics have defied threats by the national and county governments to return to work or face disciplinary action, with some unions indicating that the crisis will escalate.

Talks have so far failed to resolve the stalemate, with the bone of contention, being the 2017 CBA and the posting of medical interns among other issues. 

At the heart of the disagreement on the posting of medical interns, is the issue of pay. 

In a statement sent to newsrooms on Friday, Labour Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore urged doctors to return to work and file their complaints using dispute resolution mechanisms as provided in the Labour Relations Act of 2007. 

However, doctors remained adamant despite threats by the government that they would be dismissed.

KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah, who was in Kakamega leading a team of medics in demonstrations, says the threats will not work.

“There is no amount of intimidation, threats, that will make doctors go back to work …only the CBA will ensure they go back to work. This is one month we are ready to go for three months,” Dr. Atellah said.

The Kenya Clinical Officers Union (KUCO) will from next week also withdraw all essential services in the latest sign of further escalation of the crisis.