Doctors Urge President Ruto To Intervene As Strike Enters 20th Day

 

Striking doctors have urged President William Ruto to intervene in their three-week-long work boycott with the Ministry of Health.

Since March 14, medics have been on strike in protest of the government's failure to post medical interns and the health ministry's failure to comply with the medics' 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

On Tuesday, as the strike entered its 20th day, Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Davji Atellah urged President Ruto to intervene, stating that the union will not back down until its demands are met.

“Where this matter has reached… it is the president to resolve,” Atellah told a press conference in Nairobi.

Ruto has remained silent on the doctors' strike since it began, sending his Chief of Staff Felix Koskei to mediate negotiations between doctors and the health ministry on March 21. However, the discussions proved fruitless.

Atellah stated that they intend to continue the strike for months, citing the health ministry's contemptuous attitude in negotiations.

“We are on day 20, we are ready to go to days 100 and 200 until the govt implements the CBA… They walked out on us; that clearly shows they don’t care how long the strike continues and so we join them,” Atellah said.

He held the government responsible for the suffering of Kenyans whose healthcare has been in disarray since last month.