Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has called off a nationwide strike scheduled for Sunday, December 22, 2024, even as the government begins implementing an agreement signed with the union in 2017.
This agreement will see intern doctors receiving their salary of Ksh206,000 in full, effective immediately.
“As of now, interns have started to see updated salaries reflected in their pay slips, aligning with the terms outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between KMPDU and the government. Additionally, 50% of the basic salary arrears are being disbursed,” said KMPDU Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah Thursday.
Dr Atellah was speaking during a joint press conference with medics and government officials, where Deputy President Kithure Kindiki oversaw the signing of a new agreement between doctors and the Ministry of Health, which addressed key concerns raised by the KMPDU.
“We are very pleased to announce to the nation that the strike, which had been called by the Kenyan Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union has been called off as a result of very, very intense negotiations that have been carried out in the last few days behind the scenes in the spirit of confidence building and utmost good faith,” said Kindiki.
“In that vein, I would like to thank the union, I want to thank the council of governors, and I also want to thank the Ministry of Health for facing this matter patriotically and in the interest of the country,” he announced.
Dr Atellah said it was agreed during the meeting that the basic salary arrears owed to doctors would be paid through a voucher system, adding that the KMPDU would closely monitor the disbursement process, with doctors across all counties expected to receive their payments by December 23 and 24, 2024.
So far, Kwale County has made history as the first county to implement the CBA signed in 2017. The payment of arrears marks a crucial step toward addressing long-standing grievances regarding delayed payments to doctors.
This recent milestone by the KMPDU comes at a time when Kenya’s labour sector, particularly in the public service, has been fraught with salary-related challenges.
In the healthcare sector, salary delays have led to significant disruptions in service delivery. Doctors and other health workers have staged strikes in the past, demanding adherence to CBAs, payment of arrears, and improved working conditions. These delays have been attributed to budgetary constraints and inefficiencies in payroll management at the county level.
One of the most pressing issues linked to salary delays is the mental health crisis affecting healthcare workers. The KMPDU reports that seven doctors have died by suicide over a two-year period, highlighting the mental health challenges faced by Kenya’s healthcare workers.
The Kenya Medical Association (KMA) also noted an increase in suicide cases among healthcare workers, linking the crisis to extreme workplace pressure, burnout, and unresolved employment grievances.
On September 23, 2024, a medical intern doctor Desree Moraa died by suicide after a 36-hour shift at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital in Kiambu County, which compromised her mental health.
This was followed by another suicide of Francis Njuki, a medical intern doctor at the Thika Level Five Hospital, also in Kiambu county. Njuki, who worked as a pharmacist at the facility, allegedly died by suicide on November 26 after a long struggle with his mental health worsened by financial distress.
While confirming Njuki’s death at the time, Dr Atellah accused the government of what he termed as negligence of health workers’ affairs. He said long working hours with little or no resting time, coupled with meagre pay and sometimes delayed salaries, were pushing medics to the edge.
