- Wearing their work attire; white coats and blue surgical caps, the doctors said they wouldn't go to work until their concerns were addressed.
- The doctors danced to unknown tunes as they marched in unison on the busy road.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Doctors on Friday protested at Afya House as they demanded that Interns be posted.
Holding up banners and blowing whistles, the doctors say they are demanding among other issues, better pay and the posting of interns.
"Nakhumicha must go!" they shouted as they strolled down Hospital Road from Kenyatta National Hospital.
The strike entered day 9 on Friday.
Wearing their work attire; white coats and blue surgical caps, the doctors said they wouldn't go to work until their concerns were addressed.
The doctors danced to unknown tunes as they marched in unison on the busy road.
"It's the government on strike, not doctors" one of the banners read.
Trumpets and whistle noises also filled the air as the doctors accused the Ministry of Health of colluding with the county government to deny them their rights.
The 2022 presidential aspirant Reuben Kigame also joined the doctors.
The doctors are demanding that the government immediately post medical interns and clear the basic salary arrears for doctors as per the 2017 collective bargaining agreement.
The ministry had in previous responses to the doctors said the posting and payment of interns would require Sh4.9 billion, funds that Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha says her ministry does not have.
On March 18, the doctors maintained that their strike was still on until all their demands were met.
Speaking moments after holding a meeting with the Ministry of Health, the doctors acknowledged that even though the ministry had shown goodwill and commitment to ensure the issues were resolved they wouldn't call off the strike despite promises by the ministry to solve some of the issues falling within its mandate.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union secretary general Davji Atellah claimed the union has in the past held meetings with the government but the commitments arrived at had never been implemented.
"We just want to affirm that our strike is on. We had a meeting with the ministry led by the CS. I must appreciate that there is understanding that the issues that we are advocating for are pending," Atellah said.
He said issues such as the posting of interns had lingered on for long, adding that despite previous promises to post the interns nothing has been done to date.
Their sentiments came after Health CS Susan Nakhumicha said the ministry had agreed to begin posting interns from April 1 after receiving a confirmation from the Treasury that funds will be released.
In a briefing to the media, Nakhumicha said progress had been made in addressing issues that lie within the ministry.