The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has announced a fresh strike notice for next week.
Speaking on Friday outside the Council of Governors (CoG) offices in Westlands, KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah told the medical practitioners that the protests will continue until the Ministry of Health heeds their demands.
“There will be a union assembly on Monday and a fresh demonstration on Wednesday next week,” Atellah told the striking medics.
The doctors took to the streets on Friday calling for the ministry to honour the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) made in 2017.
Their grievances are; the delayed posting of interns, fair remuneration of interns, postgraduate training, employment of more doctors and comprehensive health coverage for medics.
Atellah faulted MoH for frustrating Kenyan doctors by deviating from the terms of the CBA.
According to him, if the government is to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), they need to address their concerns first.
“We will strike for 100 days or 200 days even. We will not stop until the government implements the CBA as it is,” Atellah said.
KMPDU chairperson Abidan Mwachi reiterated Atellah’s remarks saying that the medics are willing to strike for as long as it takes.
He said the union has issued a strike notice to counties as well.
The spokesperson of the CoG acknowledged that the council had received the strike notice.
“We have received the notice of strike and we acknowledge that you are on strike. It is your constitutional right and as we consider all the things highlighted in the petition, we urge you to remain committed to your call as doctors,” he said.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Wednesday issued an ultimatum to the striking doctors in Nairobi, giving them 12 hours to return to work.
The governor said that the absence of any doctor at their workstation upon the expiry of the ultimatum would be considered to be absconding their duty.
Despite the ultimatum, doctors in Nairobi took to the streets on Friday, chanting ‘Nakhumicha must go!’ and ‘Solidarity Forever’ as they traversed through the city.
The striking doctors made their way from Kenyatta National Hospital to Afya House to Parliament to the National Treasury and finally ended their procession at the CoG offices in Westlands.
