- CS Nakhumicha has in recent days faced criticism as striking doctors accuse government of failing to implement their 2017 CBA.
- On Monday, March 18, CS Nakhumicha said the ministry had agreed to begin posting interns from April 1.
Image: MOH
Health CS Susan Nakhumicha has given her performance at the ministry a nod of approval since assuming office in late October, 2022.
Speaking in Trans Nzoia on Friday, the Health CS said she is satisfied with her work and decisions she has made are for the benefit of Kenyans.
So good has her performance been, she said, such that some people have now become jealous of her.
She listed reforms at Kemsa and national insurer NHIF as part of her achievements.
"Sahizi mimi nimefanya kazi ya afya watu wameanza kunionea wivu. Nataka kuwahakikishia ya kwamba watu wameona vile napanga kazi yangu," she said.
(I have done my work well in Health and people have now started becoming jealous of me. I want to assure you people have seen how I do my work)
"Sasa sahi ati mtu anasema vile nilisema tupungue NHIF kutoka Sh500 hadi Sh300 ati nilifanya makosa (Some are saying I erred by reducing NHIF contributions from Sh500 to Sh300)
CS Nakhumicha has in recent days faced criticism as striking doctors accuse government of failing to implement a raft of pledges contained in a 2017 CBA they signed after a 100-day strike.
The doctors want the government to honour the Collective Bargaining Agreement made seven years ago by posting interns and remunerating them fairly for their services.
The medics are also demanding full implementation of comprehensive medical cover.
They have been staging protests from Thursday last week maintaining they will stay out of their work stations for as long as it takes until all their demands are met.
"Seven years later, the signed CBA is being disowned. The same CBA is a court order. The government has not yet implemented the basic salary in the CBA," KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah said while leading the protests in the streets of Nairobi.
"The comprehensive medical cover has been disowned, medical interns have not been posted, postgraduate training has also been disowned and doctors are not being employed," he said.
Union officials have held several meetings with state officers including one held on Thursday with Head of Public Service but none appears to have cracked the stalemate.
On Friday, the doctors resumed street protests calling for the ministry to honour the CBA.
"There will be a union assembly on Monday and a fresh demonstration on Wednesday next week," Atellah told the striking medics.
The SG faulted MoH for frustrating Kenyan doctors by deviating from the terms of the CBA.
According to him, if the government is to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), they need to first address their concerns fast.
"We will strike for 100 days or 200 days even. We will not stop until the government implements the CBA as it is," Atellah said.
On Monday, March 18, CS Nakhumicha said the ministry had agreed to begin posting interns from April 1 after receiving a confirmation from Treasury that funds will be released.
In a briefing to the media, the CS said progress had been made in addressing issues that lie within the ministry but matters that require multi-stakeholder engagement will be addressed in a later meeting.