- Koskei said the court set the suspension of the industrial action as the condition precedent for resumption of the whole of the nation approach committee meetings
- However, doctors have remained defiant saying they will only call off the strike once all their grievances are addressed
Image: LEAH MUKANGAI
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has expressed the commitment by the government to resume talks with the striking doctors.
Koskei, however, said the meeting can only be scheduled on condition that the doctors obey the court order and suspend the strike.
He said the Whole of the Nation committee shall convene within 24 hours should doctors call off their strike.
The letter dated April 9 is directed to Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) SG Davji Atellah.
"The committee shall convene within 24 hours of KMPDU suspension of the strike in full compliance with order of the Principal Judge of the Employment and Labour Relations Court of Kenya," Koskei said.
Koskei is the chairperson of the court-mandated whole of the nation approach committee on the health sector.
The committee was charged with resolving the instant long-running dispute in the health sector and achieving a sustainable solution to the ongoing negotiation and conciliation process.
The committee comprises four representatives from KMPDU, seven from the Council of Governors, one from the Ministry of Public Service, three from the Ministry of Health and one from the National Treasury.
According to Koskei, the first meeting was held on March 21.
During the meeting, the committee received a report from the conciliation committee on 19 issues raised in the strike notices as well as comments from all the committee members.
In its deliberations, the whole of the nation approach committee confirmed the obligation of all parties to comply with the orders of the court.
The committee further recognised the need to secure a lasting solution to the issues that have perennially bedevilled the health sector as guided by fiscal responsibility and sustainability.
It was agreed that a technical sub-committee be formed to isolate the 19 issues raised in the notice of industrial action by KMPDU.
The subcommittee was also required to classify and prioritise each of the issues for further consideration by the committee.
The sub-committee met on March 22 and March 25 and classified the issues raised in the notice by the doctors.
According to the Acting Health DG Patrick Amoth, out of the 19 issues raised by the union, it was found that nine fall squarely under the county governments.
Six were found to fall under the national government while four are shared mutually between the the two levels of government.
After the classification of the issues, the whole of the nation approach committee convened again on March 27.
"Whereas the whole of nation approach committee convened on March 27 for the second meeting, the session could not proceed for want of KMPDU’s non-compliance with the court order to suspend the ongoing industrial action," Koskei said.
The court on April 3 further extended the court orders issued on March 15 and extended on March 20, concerning the suspension of the ongoing industrial action.
Koskei said the court set the suspension of the industrial action as the condition precedent for the resumption of the whole of the nation approach committee meetings on the health sector.
However, doctors have remained defiant saying they will only call off the strike once all their grievances are addressed.