The government has released Sh965 million for the payment of interns.
The Ministry of Health in a statement on Saturday said the amount will go to payment of monthly stipends and accrued arrears for nursing officers interns, clinical officers interns medical officers interns and Pharmacist interns.
According to the ministry, the amount includes Sh528 million for arrears payment and Sh110 million for regular payments for nursing and clinical officers.
"A further payment of Sh326 million has been made as arrears payment for medical officers interns, dental officers interns and Pharmacist interns," Health CS Deborah Barasa said.
"This 100 per cent payment ensures that all posted interns in the specified cadres receive their dues without delay," she said.
As per the breakdown by the ministry, the money will go towards the payment of 826 medical officers interns, 274 pharmacists, 71 dentists, 140 Degree Clinical officers, 1,185 degree nursing officers and 1,251 Diploma clinical officers.
This comes amid threats by the doctors to down their tools over what they termed as failure by the government to implement the agreed upon Collective Bargaining Agreement and a return to work formula signed this year.
On Wednesday this week, the doctors union KMPDU directed intern doctors to stay away from their workstations immediately in protest of the continued alleged failure by the government to pay their salaries.
KMPDU Secretary General Devji Atellah said the interns have gone without pay for the past four months resulting in financial woes that have pushed some of them to the brink.
He said the union has thus far lost two intern doctors largely because of financial problems, the latest being a pharmacist at Thika Level 5 Hospital.
Four others, he said, attempted to take their lives but were rescued and hospitalised.
Atellah said doctors will congregate at the Safari Park hotel on November 30 for a national delegates conference with the sole agenda of declaring a strike.
