Kenyan public hospital doctors have signed a return-to-work agreement with the government, aiming to put an end to a 56 day strike that commenced in mid-March, according to union and government officials.
“We have signed a return to work formula and the union has called off the strike,” Health CS Susan Nakhumicha said, as television footage captured the union’s officials and senior government officials shaking hands after signing the documents.
The strike, initiated on March 15 by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), representing over 7,000 members, sought payment of salary arrears and the immediate hiring of trainee doctors, among other demands.
“The doctors’ arrears arose from a 2017 collective bargaining agreement (CBA),” explained Dhavji Atellah, KMPDU’s secretary-general.
“One thing we must assure everybody, every doctor, every person that the rights of workers as enshrined in the collective bargaining agreement that is signed is that it is sacrosanct, we will always endeavor to protect that.”
While the issue of hiring interns remained pending in court, it was agreed they would be posted within 60 days, Atellah added.
The government cited financial constraints as the reason it could not afford to hire trainee doctors due to pressure on the public purse.
The end of the strike brings relief to those seeking medical services, particularly amid heavy rains and flooding that have resulted in 257 fatalities and displacements.
Kenya’s health sector, often deemed underfunded and understaffed by doctors, has frequently been marred by strikes. Previous strikes, including one in 2017 lasting three months, have underscored systemic challenges within the sector.
By Vivian K.