Doctors Strike: Gov't, Unions Fail To Reach Agreement

 

A meeting on Thursday evening between the government, the Kenya Medical Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), and other unions to end the healthcare workers' strike was unsuccessful.

The meeting was led by the Whole of Nation Approach Committee, which was summoned by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei in response to Wednesday's court order.


After nearly five hours in a closed-door meeting, the two parties stated that no agreement had been reached, but expressed hope for progress in a subsequent meeting scheduled for Friday.

KMPDU will meet with the Ministry of Health in the morning to discuss national government issues; at midday, they will meet with the Council of Governors before returning to the Whole of Nation Approach Committee.


The court ordered the government and KMPDU to meet and come up with a return-to-work formula by Friday, even though negotiations will continue for another 30 days.

On Wednesday, the Employment and Labour Relations Court extended orders suspending the long-running doctors' strike in order to allow for further negotiations.

In a ruling issued on Wednesday, Justice Byram Ongaya directed all 47 county governments and other stakeholders, including the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), to negotiate in good faith, keeping Kenyans' interests in mind.

Justice Ongaya also ruled that doctors should be present in all level 3, 4, and 5 hospitals, including Mathare Hospital, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), and Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), to handle emergency cases.

"The return to work formula and the memorandum of understanding on minimum safety services in that regard that all hospitals categorised as levels 3,4 and 5 there should be at least two doctors per cader, two medical officers, two dental officers, two pharmacists and at least two consultants designated to be on duty to handle emergencies," he stated.