Doctors' Strike Is Over- Govt Signs Last Deal

The signing of the deal was in line with the directive issued by the Labour Relations Court, giving both the government and the striking doctors 48 hours to reach an agreement and conclusively end the strike.

Viral Tea Ke Writer Viral Tea Ke Writer
May 8, 2024 - 17:13 Updated: May 8, 2024 - 17:45
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Doctors' Strike Is Over- Govt Signs Last Deal
Government officials in a meeting with the KMPDU officials signing agreement documents to mark end of the 56-day doctors' strike on May 8, 2024. /MINISTRY OF HEALTH

The Ministry of Health has announced the end of the nationwide doctors' strike which has been running for 56 days.

The announcement was made on Wednesday, May 8 through its official channels after the government had reached an agreement with the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU), effectively ending the go-slow that has crippled healthcare services in the country.

"After 56 days, KMPDU signs agreement, ending nationwide doctors' strike," the Ministry announced.

Doctors on strike outside Parliament Buildings and Bunge Tower on April 30, 2024. /MARVIN CHEGE.VIRAL TEA KE

The signing of the deal was in line with the directive issued by the Labour Relations Court, giving both the government and the striking doctors 48 hours to reach an agreement and conclusively end the strike.

As the signing is now complete, KMPDU will issue directives on when the doctors will return to work. However, the matter of interns' pay is still in contention.

KMPDU on Tuesday presented before the court a separate document from what the government had presented, prompting the judge to issue the Wednesday deadline, saying failure to which it would be forced to determine the matter.

The union and the government entities - through the Council of Governors (CoG) and the Ministry of Health - were for the better part of Tuesday evening locked in a meeting in a bid to resolve the stalemate once and for all.

The doctors' strike had been running since March 12 as called by KMPDU Secretary-General, Davji Atellah, demanding the government to increase their salaries in line with the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Since March 14, doctors have abandoned their duty stations and have been protesting the government’s failure to post medical interns and obey the CBA on medics’ labour terms.

They have held long-running negotiations with a ‘Whole of the Nation Approach' committee bringing together the Ministry of Health, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and the Head of Public Service.

The talks stalled after the government presented a Ksh70,000 stipend offer to the medical interns instead of the Ksh206,000 depicted in the 2017 CBA.

The signing came hours after Azimio la Umoja urged the government to reach an agreement with the striking doctors within 48 hours, failure to which, the strike would manifest to the return of nationwide protests.

"We note that the Labour and Relations court has ordered the striking doctors and the government to reach an agreement within 48 hours. While we have seen the efforts by the doctors to end the strike, we are yet to see the commitment from the government side to do the same.

"We, ask the Kenya Kwanza regime to take advantage of the 48-hour window given by the courts and immediately reach an agreement with doctors that will see a resumption of normalcy in public hospitals, failure to which, we shall mobilize the public and other unions to join in a national," Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka threatened.

Wiper Party Leader, Kalonzo Musyoka flanked by Azimio la Umoja principals while addressing the media on May 8, 2024. /KALONZO MUSYOKA

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