Health CS NAKHUMICHA bows to pressure from striking doctors as she vows to do this as soon as possible to avert a health crisis – Look!

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Doctors finally have a reason to call off the ongoing strike following the announcement by the Ministry of Health yesterday.

Addressing a press briefing yesterday, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha announced that the Ministry was in the process of posting interns, which was one of the concerns raised by doctors before the strike began on Thursday last week.

Nakhumicha revealed that the posting of over a thousand interns will begin on April 1 after the National Treasury disburses the required funds.

The CS further noted that there were conciliation meetings that were ongoing to meet some of the demands raised by the medics.

Additionally, the CS revealed that the Ministry would also continue with negotiations on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which had lapsed. This would be done within the week.

She emphasised that the National Treasury had disbursed the required funds which will see interns posted to various hospitals and all pending arrears cleared.

Despite, this announcement, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Davji Atellah emphasised that the strike was still on.

Atellah poked holes at the new policy fronted by the Ministry, arguing that the previous one did not have any flaws to necessitate the introduction of a new policy.

He opined that the government was looking for ways to lower the salaries and allowances of doctors and medical interns. 

He further emphasised that the strike was meant to protect the interests of the medical fraternity.

Earlier in the month, Nakhumicha had pointed fingers at the Njuguna Ndung'u-led Treasury for failing to provide the Ksh4.9 billion needed to post the doctors.

The Kenyan DAILY POST