Doctors, Govt Fail To Agree On Medical Interns Issues Even As Strike Is Called Off: "Still Pending"

• On Wednesday, May 8, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union (KMPDU) and the Ministry of Health signed an agreement ending the doctors' strike
• The posting of interns and their remuneration was the only issue that the two sides failed to agree on after the 56-day strike on
• KMPDU secretary general Davji Atellah said the posting of interns has been put on hold until a case filed in court is finalised

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union (KMPDU) and the Ministry of Health have once again failed to agree on the remuneration of medical interns.

Why KMPDU and the government failed to agree?

On Wednesday, May 8, the KMPDU and the government signed the return-to-work formula signaling the end of the doctors' strike.

However, KMPDU secretary general Davji Atellah disclosed that they had not agreed on the main contentious issue, which was the posting of medical interns.

"As we take this, I must say that one of the fundamental issues, that is, the matter of doctor interns, is still pending. This matter was filed in court in Eldoret," Atellah said.

He pointed out that the union wanted the interns posted as per the 2017 CBA, but the Ministry of Health held that they wait until the case filed in court is finalised.

Consequently, the two sides agreed to put a hold on posting interns for 60 days as negotiations continue.

"But we have a joint caveat that as that is going on, all the doctor interns, that is, the medical officer interns, the pharmacist interns, and the dentist interns, will have to wait a little bit longer. We have agreed on a 60 days period that they will not be posted, but we'll be having conversations on this issue. It then means that as this matter in court is ongoing, we'll also be having conversations," the KMPDU boss stated.

Why KMPDU rejected the government's proposals

Earlier, KMPDU stated that its members won't resume work despite the government's commitment to honour 18 out of the 19 grievances that informed their strike over a month ago.

Atellah said his side was not convinced as the single unmet demand was the most crucial.

The county and national governments maintained their stances on the intern doctors' pay, with the KMPDU declaring this as the deal breaker.

What you need to know about medical interns

• Their union wanted, among other things, the reinstatement of the KSh 206,000 monthly pay for interns per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by the parties in 2017.
• Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria vowed the government would not pay intern doctors KSh 206,000.
• President William Ruto asked KMPDU to accept the offer of KSh 70,000 for the 1,500 interns, saying the government could afford that.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke