Doctors in Embu protest over victimisation after ending strike

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union Upper Eastern Secretary General Mark Ndung'u speaks to reporters at Embu Level Five Hospital on March 28, 2017. He said doctors will move to court after being struck off the payroll. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Ndung’u said they would sue the officers charged with health issues and payroll management.
  • They had on August 8 last year signed an agreement that promised employment of more doctors and promotion of existing ones.

Doctors in Embu have threatened to sue the county government after it struck them off the payroll.

They said they were being victimized even after signing a return-to-work agreement insisting that no one would be punished for taking part in a strike that lasted 100 days.

Addressing the press at Embu Level Five hospital, Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Upper Eastern Secretary General Mark Ndung’u however said they would not sue the county government but individual officers charged with health issues and payroll management.

They had on August 8 last year signed an agreement that promised employment of more doctors and promotion of existing ones.

However, the Martin Wambora-led administration negated the accord, forcing the doctors to kick off industrial action on November 14, which went for 21 days before merging with the national wide strike.

"We went back to work after the national and county governments signed a return-to-work formula that addressed the issues we had gone on strike about.

"The deal promised that no one would be victimized. Doctors would be placed in the correct job groups and earn their allowances with effect from January 1. Embu county was party to the agreement," Dr Ndung’u said.

The county had also promised to hire specialists - a gynaecologist, anaesthesiologist, two clinical pharmacists, eight pharmacists and 10 dentists.

But the problems in the county's public hospitals have now escalated after four doctors, two of them specialists, resigned.

"We have also learnt that the Embu county has permanently struck all doctors off payroll. It means that doctors are now serving with no assurance of future pay. Whenever we have industrial action, public officers usually hide under the umbrella of county government to abuse their office.

"We are going to sue the specific individuals who are party to our grievances," Dr Ndung’u added.

The KMPDU official said the county currently has about 100 doctors, 28 of whom are pursuing further training and 15 are carrying out administrative duties.

Nonetheless, they said they would not go on strike until the end of the 60-days agreed upon to work on a Collective Bargaining Agreement.