- On Friday, Mombasa governor Hassan Joho called the doctors for a closed-door meeting at his office to try and address the matter.
- The doctors said they flatly refused to agree to Joho’s call to give the county some more days to address their matter.
Mombasa doctors have vowed to continue with their strike from Tuesday after they failed to agree with the county leadership on the matter.
The doctors, through the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union, are demanding for their two-month salary, comprehensive medical cover, promotions and timely remittance of the statutory deductions.
On Tuesday last week, the doctors issued a seven-day strike notice, failure by the county to address the matter, they will paralyse operations in all county public hospitals and health centres.
On Friday, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho called the doctors for a closed-door meeting at his office to try and address the matter.
However, the doctors said they flatly refused to agree to Joho’s call to give the county more days to address their matter.
KMPDU Mombasa branch secretary general Dr Nassir Shaban said they refused any calls to stop the strike, without their issues being addressed.
“During the meeting at the governor’s office, Joho asked us to give the county more days to resolve the matter. But we collectively refused to agree to that idea,” Shaban said.
According to the doctors, Joho had called for more time to engage the National Treasury for the release of funds, engage the National Hospital Insurance Fund for the doctors’ medical cover and address all other issues raised by doctors.
“We collectively refused after consultations with our members. Therefore, the strike will go on as planned. From Tuesday, operations in all the health centres, hospitals and dispensaries within Mombasa will be paralysed," he said.
The union said they want a written commitment on how their salaries will be paid by the county government, failure to which they will continue with the strike for months until the matter is resolved.
“We want a written commitment that we shall be receiving our salaries by the 5th of every month. We want order in this matter,” he said.
According to the doctors, last year they had several meetings with the county government, but the issues raised have not been addressed.
A meeting was held in July, which was followed by another meeting in August and the county promised to address the issue by November.
KMPDU Mombasa branch chairperson Hassan Mkuche said the strike is still on until that day their salaries will be paid.
"The strike is on until that day that our needs will be met, not only doctors and nurses but all county health workers," he said.
A section of Muslim leaders have also supported the doctors’ strike, saying that delay in salary payment is like denying the health workers their rights.
Abu Hamza, an Immam at Sparki Mosque, said the county is torturing doctors and health workers by denying them their dues.
"We are calling upon the county government to address the raised issues because this will affect the less fortunate who cannot afford private hospitals. Those leaders do not seek treatment in public hospitals, instead they are treated out of the country," he said.
-Edited by SKanyara