Kenyan doctors defiant as gov't issues ultimatum, citizens hang in balance
Kenyan doctors' demands for better pay and working conditions have been met with an unfavourable response from the government.
Following a strike that commenced on March 14, 2024, the medical professionals of the East African nation were instructed to return to duty in the next 24 hours, the Nation Africa reported on April 11.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has been at the forefront of the strike, citing unmet demands from a collective bargaining agreement signed in previous years.
A recent closed-door talk lasted eight hours and ended without a resolution, leaving the future of Kenya's health services uncertain.
The government representatives, including Chief of Staff Felix Koskei, have urged the doctors to compromise for the benefit of Kenyan citizens, particularly the most vulnerable. Yet, the doctors remain steadfast, expressing their determination to have their demands met.
Koskei also serves as the chairperson of a court-mandated committee overseeing the comprehensive national approach to resolving the prolonged dispute within the health sector. He explains that a negotiation could be had but only if the doctors suspend their strike in 24 hours.
“Take note that the Committee shall reconvene within 24 hours of KMPDU suspension of the strike ensuring full compliance with the order of the Principal Judge Byram Ongaya, of the Employment and Labour Relations Court of Kenya,” part of a letter served to Secretary-General of KMPDU, Davji Atellah reads.
In response to the doctor's strike, President William Ruto has argued that the financial implications of meeting these demands are costly, especially in light of the economic constraints.
“I am telling our friends, the doctors, that we mind about them. We value the service they give to our nation. But we have to live within our means,” Ruto said.
This standoff is not without precedence. A similar strike in 2017 lasted 100 days, the longest in the country’s history ended with an agreement that the doctors' demands would be met.
After 29 days since the strike began many public hospitals in the country have abandoned patients who are still hanging onto hope for a resolution, the Nation Africa reports.
