Doctors at Kenya’s public hospitals have embarked on a nationwide strike, citing the government's failure to fulfill promises outlined in a collective bargaining agreement signed in 2017. This move comes after a 100-day strike in 2017 that resulted in fatalities due to the lack of medical care.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) initiated the strike to demand comprehensive medical coverage for doctors and to address the government's delay in posting 1,200 medical interns. Despite a labor court order urging the union to suspend the strike for negotiations, 4,000 doctors have participated in the strike.
Dr. Dennis Miskellah, deputy secretary-general of KMPDU, highlighted the critical role of medical interns, constituting 27% of the public hospital workforce, and emphasized that their absence is leading to the rejection of more patients seeking medical attention.
While some doctors have continued to work, particularly in intensive care units, to prevent patient fatalities, the strike's impact is evident nationwide. Patients are being turned away from hospitals, with reports of individuals unable to access essential medical services.
In a recent interview, Dr. Miskellah underscored the dire consequences of work-related stress on doctors, including instances of suicide and the need for fundraising to cover medical expenses due to inadequate health coverage.
This strike echoes the 2017 protest by public hospital doctors, which lasted 100 days and aimed to secure better wages, improve public health facilities, and address the shortage of healthcare professionals in the country. At that time, doctors with six years of university training were earning basic salaries ranging from $400 to $850 per month, comparable to the earnings of police officers with only six months of training.
The ongoing strike has left many patients unattended and facing challenges in accessing medical care, highlighting the urgent need for the government and healthcare workers to find a resolution to the current impasse.
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