•This comes even as the Ministry of Health sought 14 more days to continue negotiating with doctors in a bid to end the countrywide strike
•A request that was granted by Justice Byrum Ongaya after hearing from all parties
Image: Aura Ruth
ODM party leader Raila Odinga has called on the government to move with speed and resolve the doctors’ strike.
Speaking during the ODM party's Central Management Committee meeting, Raila raised concern over how the government was addressing the matter.
He said Kenyans continued to suffer from a lack of access to essential healthcare services.
“We see an equally pedestrian and dismissive approach to the doctors’ strike and its impact on ordinary Kenyans. There seems to be neither commitment nor capacity by the government to resolve the matter,” Raila said.
He called on the government to respect and implement the 2021 court ruling which directed the Ministry of Health and the 47 county governments to implement the Basic Salary as per the agreed, signed and registered CBA of 2017-21.
“In line with the demands of the striking doctors, the government must ring-fence health finances by operationalising the Facility Improvement Fund,” he said.
He further supported the call by doctors for the government to Allocate 15 per cent of the budget to health and devolve the resources to the counties.
“We equally support calls by doctors for annual and incremental recruitment of doctors and other healthcare workers until the country attains the recommended levels of staffing for various levels of facilities,” Raila said.
The ODM chief said the same criteria had been used by the government in various sectors such as with teachers, police and the military.
This comes even as the Ministry of Health sought 14 more days to continue negotiating with doctors in a bid to end the countrywide strike.
A request that was granted by Justice Byrum Ongaya after hearing from all parties.
Ongaya gave the reconciliation and negotiation proceedings another chance.
He gave parties 14 more days to expeditiously proceed and record a settlement in court.
Doctors on Tuesday rejected the government offer which aims to end the strike stalemate.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union chairperson Abi Mwachi maintained that the government must honour the 2017-21 Collective Bargaining Agreement in totality.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei on Monday said the government has secured Sh2.4 billion to facilitate the immediate deployment and posting of the 2023-24 cohort of medical student interns.
Koskei said the deployment of intern doctors will begin on Thursday and called on the union to suspend their strike amid ongoing mediation to resolve the remaining issues.
The posting of medical interns was one of the pertinent issues KMPDU was pushing for when they went on strike on March 14.