Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni has pleaded with the medical interns through their unions to accept the Ksh 2.4 billion offer from the government for their deployment and posting.
PS Muthoni says the allocation risks being taken back to the treasury come June in case the unions led by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) continue to turn it down.
“It would be wrong to take back money to Treasury simply because we are not agreeing. So I am imploring them (doctors),” Muthoni stated.
“It will be important that they get licences after internship, that is why government has released a huge amout of Ksh.2.4 billion. If it gets to June, it will go back to Treasury, so who loses? I lose and you lose,” she added.
PS Muthoni has affirmed that the government is very committed to ensuring it ends end the stalemate and brings back normal healthcare provision in public hospitals.
She says the whole government approach chaired by the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei will keep engaging the medics in talks.
Speaking in Kisumu, PS Muthoni says the many pending issues in the medical sector cannot be sorted out in one sitting adding that already the government has shown commitment.
She called on the health workers through their unions to also approach the talks with sincerity and that they should be flexible.
The doctors strike that is in its fourth week has seen health services paralysed in public hospitals.
On April 2, the government extended an olive branch to the health workers, saying it would post all the eligible medical student interns, inviting those eligible to pick posting letters.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said accrued Basic Salary Arrears would be paid in full and Ksh.2.4 billion had already been disbursed to cater for the interns’ deployment and posting.
The medics, through KMPDU have since turned down the offer and continued with strikes.
