Gov’t Announces Reaching Final Deal With Striking Doctors
Gov’t Announces Reaching Final Deal With Striking Doctors
The country’s health crisis caused by a nationwide doctors’ strike is about to end, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday.
The agreement was reached following a thorough meeting between government officials and the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU), according to the Ministry.
The Ministry of Health declared, “After 56 days, KMPDU signs agreement, ending nationwide doctors’ strike.”
In compliance with the Labour Relations Court’s order, the government and health officials signed the return to work formula on Wednesday night.
In its decision, the court ordered the two disputing parties to come to a mutual understanding and end the protracted doctors’ strike.
KMPDU will issue directives regarding the doctors’ return to work schedule after the government and doctors sign the agreement.
The agreement came about after a protracted legal battle and series of disagreements that left the nation’s health system in a near-paralysis for nearly two months.
Though the two teams signed a return-to-work formula, the terms of interns’ payment are still up for debate.
On March 12, a nationwide demonstration was called by KMPDU officials, led by its secretary general, Davji Attelah, sparking the start of the doctors’ strike.
During their protests, the physicians called for an increase in pay in exchange for the fulfillment of the collective bargaining agreement from 2017.
The agreement also came about two weeks after physicians rejected the government’s offer to end the strike for Ksh2.4 billion.