Rédaction Africa Links 24 with The Observer
Published on 2024-03-16 18:56:50
Doctors in public hospitals across Kenya have embarked on a nationwide strike, citing the government’s failure to fulfill promises made in a collective bargaining agreement signed in 2017. This agreement followed a 100-day strike that resulted in lives being lost due to inadequate medical care.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) initiated the strike to demand comprehensive medical insurance for doctors and the immediate posting of 1,200 medical interns by the government. Despite a court order urging the union to halt the strike for negotiation purposes, 4,000 doctors participated in the strike. Dennis Miskellah, the deputy secretary-general of KMPDU, emphasized that the union would not abide by the court order, much like the government had ignored previous court orders to raise doctors’ salaries and reinstate suspended doctors.
Medical interns constitute a significant portion of the workforce in public hospitals, and their absence during the strike has led to a backlog of patients seeking medical attention. Some doctors have chosen to remain on duty, particularly in intensive care units, to ensure critical patients receive care. The impact of the strike has been widespread, with numerous patients being turned away or left unattended in hospitals throughout the country.
The dire situation prompted by the strike was highlighted by stories such as Pauline Wanjiru’s, who was unable to receive treatment for her son’s broken leg at a hospital in Kakamega county due to the strike. This is not the first time doctors in Kenya have resorted to industrial action to address systemic issues within the healthcare system. In 2017, a historic 100-day strike was held to demand better wages, improvements in public health facilities, and the hiring of more medical professionals to alleviate severe staff shortages.
During that time, public doctors, who undergo six years of training in university, were earning a basic salary ranging from $400 to $850 per month, comparable to the salaries of police officers with only six months of training. The ongoing challenges faced by doctors in Kenya, including the lack of comprehensive health coverage, inadequate wages, and insufficient staff, have resulted in significant strain on the healthcare system and have pushed healthcare workers to their limits.
The current strike serves as a stark reminder of the underlying issues plaguing Kenya’s healthcare sector and the urgent need for meaningful reforms to ensure adequate support for medical professionals and improved access to quality healthcare for all citizens. As doctors continue to fight for their rights and the well-being of their patients, the government must prioritize addressing these issues to prevent further crises within the healthcare system.
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