•The doctors signed the contentious CBA with the Ministry of Health on June 30, and with county governments on July 6, 2017
•According to the CBA, the lowest-paid doctor (intern) earns about Sh212,000 inclusive of all allowances, every month
Image: LEAH MUKANGAI
Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu has called on the government and the doctors' union to resume negotiations and end the ongoing strike.
Nyutu while speaking to Citizen TV on Thursday opined that the two parties should agree to implement the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement in phases.
"For me, the best solution would be for the government and the doctors to agree to go back to the table and have negotiations. They can agree to have the CBA implemented in phases," he said.
He said doctors are required back to hospitals to save patients who have continued to suffer due to a lack of healthcare services.
He said it is time for the parties involved to strike a balance on whether the current economy affords to implement the CBA fully at this time so that the demands of the doctors can be met.
"Negotiations is about give and take. We need to be very genuine, the doctors, the government, we should sit down as Kenyans and agree on the way forward.," he said.
"Otherwise we cannot continue having our patients suffering and dying in hospitals, but we also don’t want the doctors to be poorly remunerated."
He said the government through the President had pronounced itself that it may not afford the requirements contained in the CBA.
President William Ruto on June 7 asked striking doctors to resume work and accept what the government has offered to hire intern doctors.
Ruto emphasized that doctors need to realize that the country doesn't have the resources to raise wages for its workers.
He stressed that the county must manage within its available resources instead of resorting to borrowing to pay wages.
"We must tell ourselves the truth that the time has come for us to live within our means", Ruto said.
Nyutu, however, noted that doctors are Kenyans and need to be remunerated well hence the need to strike a balance.
The doctors signed the contentious CBA with the Ministry of Health on June 30, and with county governments on July 6, 2017.
According to the CBA, the lowest-paid doctor (intern) earns about Sh212,000 inclusive of all allowances, every month. The highest-paid consultants walk home with about Sh814,000.
The CBA also outlines details on promotion schemes for doctors, including scholarships to study Masters degrees full-time, while on full salary.
However, the government is yet to implement some of these provisions terming them as selfish, expensive and discriminatory to other professional workers also employed by the state.