- The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) is set to issue a strike notice next week.
- Two doctors have died of suicide, and five more were rescued and hospitalized for an attemped incident.
- Intern doctors have not been paid their salaries of the last four months, impeding their welfare. The medical unions have blamed the government for negligence and failing to obey the return to work formula.
Health is one of the most delicate sectors in Kenya, but the government has failed to do enough to improve the undulating conditions affecting the health providers, especially the medical interns. Medical unions have blamed the government on negligence and failing to honor the return to work formula.
The last two months have been devastating to the health sector following the loss of two intern doctors to suicide. Dr. Desire Moraa (in September) and Dr. Francis Njuki (two days ago) died of suicide stemming from a toxic work environment excerbated by long-passing months of unpaid salaries, impending their ability to manage utility bills and other basics.
The Ministry of Health, led by Dr. Baraza, hasn’t made any statement regarding the demise of Dr. Francis Njuki, an intern pharmacist at Thika Level 5 hospital. President Ruto’s regime has been the most disparaging to the health sector since his office assumption in the last two years.
It’s during his tenure that the intern doctor’s salary was decreased from KES 200,000 to KES 70,000 within a span of one year. To make it worse, these interns have been working for months unpaid, yet they are expected to attend to the sick under strict guidelines from the supervisors. It’s also during his tenure that the postgraduate fees were increased until a strike and negotiations ensued.
Health providers have debunked the Universal Health Coverage (UHC), whose success is bound by the welfare of medics in the country. The Intern Liaison Committee and the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) slammed the government for failing to protect intern medics following the latest demise of Dr. Fancis Njuki.
“In the last two months, we’ve tragically lost two medical interns to suicide, including Dr. Francis Njuki and Dr. Desiree Moraa. These young lives were taken by a system that continues to neglect its obligations, pushing our interns to unbearable metal and financial strain. In the same period, five other suicide attempts have been narrowly averted,” a statement from Dr. Davji Bhimji Atellah, the General Secretary and CEO, KMPDU.
The unions have ordered the mdics from all cadres to halt their services until a satisfactory resolution is reached between the Ministry of Health and their representative unions.
“As of today, ALL Medical, Pharmacist, and Dentist Interns will stay away from their workstations until the government resolves the issue of their updaied salaries. We will no longer participate in boardroom meetings to justify the value of interns’ lives while the government dances on their graves and perpetuates their enslavement and servitude,” he remarked.
A Special Delegates Conference is set to be held on November 30th, 2024, by union to pass a binding resolution on the crisis facing inteners and address pending issues surrounding the May 8th, 2024 Return to Work Formula.
