Hold talks with striking doctors to ease suffering
The collapse of the talks to end the ongoing strike by doctors and other medical workers in public hospitals and health centres is bad news for the majority of Kenyans, who rely on these facilities for access to affordable quality healthcare.
As the members of Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) continue to stay away from their work stations countrywide nearly a week later, there is immense suffering of patients.
The only places that are being manned are the intensive care units in those hospitals. The health crisis continues despite a court directive last Friday to the government and the medics’ union to reach a settlement and resume health services.
The continuation of the strike has poured cold water on Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha’s optimism after what she described as a “fruitful discussion”. One of the issues of contention is the two parties’ 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which has lapsed.
Another source of disagreement is the failure to hire 1,200 new doctors who completed their internship eight months ago. While CS Nakhumicha says they will be absorbed by April1, the union is sceptical, arguing that they are now fed up with unfulfilled promises.
The standoff should be quickly resolved for the benefit of the patients as the medical professionals’ grievances are addressed to the satisfaction of both parties. It is encouraging, however, that the window for consultations has not been shut. The KMPDU is willing to engage in further discussions with the Labour ministry, which has invited them to conciliation meetings expected to be held today.
This is a major national crisis that started last Thursday, leaving patients in a dire situation. The doctors want the full implementation of the CBA signed in 2017 after a 100-day strike that claimed lives due to lack of care in public facilities.
About 4,000 doctors have withdrawn their services, defying a court directive to hold talks with the government to resolve the impasse. The adverse impact is being felt right across the country with many patients left unattended or being turned away from hospitals.
