Nairobi doctors refuse to resume duty, dare county to hire interns

Pumwani Maternity Hospital CEO Omondi Kuba and Nairobi county health executive Bernard Muia address journalists at City Hall on the ongoing doctors' strike, September 15, 2016. /ANNITA SINEI
Pumwani Maternity Hospital CEO Omondi Kuba and Nairobi county health executive Bernard Muia address journalists at City Hall on the ongoing doctors' strike, September 15, 2016. /ANNITA SINEI

Doctors in Nairobi have refused to return to work despite City Hall's declaration that their strike is illegal.

Nairobi county had also threatened them with disciplinary action if they did not resume duty immediately.

Shortly after Nairobi health executive Bernard Muia addressed the media, the doctors dared the county to fire them and hire interns.

Medical practitioners union secretary general Ouma Oluga said City Hall was

"hallucinating".

"When they wake up let them resolve the issues presented to them," he said.

He said the health workers' concerns had not been addressed contrary to what Muia earlier told journalists.

The doctors downed their tools on Sunday citing delayed payments and promotions. They

said they had not been paid for six months.

Oluga claimed that the health workers' NHIF deductions have not been remitted since January.

"We have tried to use diplomatic means to solve these problems. We have held five meetings with the county and written several letters since April, but no action has been taken," he said on phone.

But Muia said all doctors, including those on internship, will receive their salaries at the end of the month. He urged the doctors to resume work immediately.

“If they are not content they should engage us as they work to prevent patients from suffering,” he said.

The executive said issues raised by the union in its August 29 strike notice were resolved in a meeting on September 9.

"The parties resolved that the scheduled strike be put off by two weeks to allow time to attend to unresolved issues," he said.

The county official was with chief officer Sam Ochola, medical superintendents Musa Mohamed (Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital) and Lazarus Omondi (Pumwani Materity hospital).

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On Wednesday, Kiambu health executive John Mwangi complained that the city doctor's strike has led to an influx of patients in the county's facilities.

"I call upon Kiambu residents to bear with us on the long queues in our hospital due to the influx of patients. We believe this is due to the good services being offered in hospitals here," Mwangi said.

He urged the national government to enforce a policy for neighbouring counties to share resources.

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