Govt slams doctors, signs return to work formula, abandons talks

It is now emerging that wrangles within the leadership of the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) could be derailing the signing of a return-to-work formula as directed by the courts.

According to sources within the ranks of the union that was holed up in a meeting with the Council of Governors and the national government for over six hours without a solution, there seems to be different positions on the calling off of the strike.

One section of the union was ready to sign the document, while another wanted it signed on Monday, the day it is supposed to be submitted in court.

A stalemate ensued when the KMPDU arrived at the KICC VIP room for the whole of nation approach meeting with a whole set of demands, different from what had been lodged in court, arguing that its membership had sought stricter timelines.

The document read by Secretary General Davji Atella, went off from the document deposited in court necessitating a standoff over what the way forward should be.

In the ruling given on Thursday, the courts directed the warring parties to sign the return-to-work formula presented before it and thus the government side stuck to it.

However, according to the union, their document is the same, but now contains timelines, which it wants the government to honour, insisting they had no different document.

One of the contentious issues that counties were confronted with is the provision of a comprehensive medical cover which the doctors had given a timeline of 60 days. However, the CoG amended it to allow for 90 days, to cater for procurement. The union wants their 60 – day demand upheld.

In the six– hour meeting, the union asked for periodic time out sessions to deliberate on the deal they had put on the table, with the last one, addressed by SG Davji, after an internal fallout, announced that they would only sign the return-to-work formula on Monday after finding concurrence.

The government side has now abandoned any plans to amend the document, opting to disregard the Monday meeting called for by KMPDU and sign their part.

The doctors had asked for a 10 AM meeting on Monday, but the court’s directive says the return-to-work formula should be deposited in court by 9:30 AM Monday.

Government also accuses the doctors of insincerity in dealing with the talks as every time they agree, the doctors council seems to negate the talks.

Both teams are now meant to meet in court after the collapse of the court sanctioned talks.

Consequently, the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei and CoG health committee chairperson governor Muthomi njuki have said the government will be seeking from the courts a free will to sack the suspending doctors arguing that service delivery has been hampered greatly in the 52 days the strike has been on.

The press conference was held at 9 PM Friday evening after talks failed to get a solution.