- In the Friday meeting the ministry withdrew the earlier communiqué indicating posting would be done in July
- The ministry is now blaming the delay in posting interns on failure by the Treasury to release funds on time
Image: DOUGLAS OKIDDY
The Ministry of Health and health unions will hold another meeting this week to try to unlock the stalemate surrounding the posting of interns.
This is after the first meeting was held on Friday between representatives from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) and Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) and KNUN and Health CS Susan Nakhumicha.
The meeting came days after the ministry and health unions clashed on the posting date for unions.
The ministry in a statement had claimed that in a meeting with unions, it had been agreed that interns be posted from July, yet the unions maintained that no such meeting had taken place.
In the Friday meeting, the withdrew the earlier communiqué indicating posting would be done in July.
The ministry is now blaming the delay in posting interns on the failure of the Treasury to release funds on time.
KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah said a joint commitment was made to foster consensus and take a consultative approach with all stakeholders to ensure that the perennial delay of posting medical is resolved.
“We referred to the earlier commitment that interns would be posted in February and agreed to pursue that even though the ministry expressed delay in budget approval from Treasury,” Atellah said.
“We are to have more engagement next week to ensure the internship impasse is resolved and posting is done."
According to KUCO SG George Gibore, approximately 3,895 interns from different cadres are awaiting placement by the ministry.
Last week, medical interns held demonstrations outside Afya House demanding that they be posted as per the requirement for compulsory experimental learning.
In a meeting between the unions and the ministry held on January 22, it was agreed that the posting of all medical interns would be done in February.
“Assurance was given that interns will be posted immediately once the funds are available, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for Thursday,” Gibore said.
“Additionally, the unions resolved to organise a joint protest match to Treasury to push for the release of the required funds for interns,” Gibore noted.
Association of Medical Students of the University of Nairobi (AMSUN) chairman Muinde Nthusi said many graduates are still awaiting placement in internship centres, up to seven months after graduation.
Nthusi said the delays in posting the graduates not only disrupt their career progression but also have far-reaching consequences for healthcare delivery in Kenya.