Kenyan doctors employed in state-run hospitals have rebuffed a recent offer from the government in their ongoing strike, which has persisted for three weeks.
The strike, initiated by approximately 7,000 members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) in mid-March, seeks enhancements in salary and working conditions.
A labor court in Nairobi, responding to the impasse, has set a deadline for resolving the conflict following a suspension of the strike last month. Reports indicate that negotiations are to be concluded within 14 days.
The government’s proposal, announced a day prior and encompassing commitments such as addressing arrears and granting permanent contracts to trainee doctors, failed to appease the union. KMPDU expressed “deep dissatisfaction” with the offer, highlighting the absence of legally binding assurances.
Davji Atellah, the secretary-general of KMPDU, denounced the negotiation outcome, citing government disengagement until the strike is called off.
Moreover, KMPDU urged medical interns, constituting approximately 30 percent of doctors, not to accept their contract letters from the government, contending that the proposed offer lacked credibility.
The strike, which gained additional support from clinical officers on Monday, has severely disrupted public hospitals in Kenya, prompting patients to seek limited, albeit costlier, services in private medical facilities.
The healthcare sector in the East African nation has long grappled with issues of poor remuneration and working conditions, leading to a significant migration of medical professionals to other African nations and beyond. Industrial actions have become commonplace, causing widespread disruption.
In 2017, a 100-day nationwide strike by Kenyan doctors paralyzed public hospitals, resulting in numerous fatalities due to inadequate medical care. Although a collective bargaining agreement was reached to end the strike, doctors allege government non-compliance, which has contributed to the current impasse.
