Nakuru medics hold protests in day 13 of nationwide strike » Capital News
NAKURU, Kenya, Mar 26 – Hundreds of doctors from over two hundred medical facilities in Nakuru on Tuesday held a peaceful demonstration to protest alleged oppression by the national and county governments.
The protest brought traffic to a standstill as the medics walked from the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, entered the Central Business District through Kenyatta Avenue and ended at the Nakuru County Government Headquarters where they addressed the media and submitted their grievances.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) South Rift Branch Secretary Stephen Omondi said the protest was meant to push the government into seeing sense in the suffering of the public.
He observed that the public continued to suffer as the medics’ strike entered the 13th day over issues that could be solved within a day.
“In fact the issues in contest were agreed upon seven years ago and have only been waiting implementation by the government and counties,” said the unionists who was also accompanied by medical students from Egerton University, Medical Interns and other health workers.
“The union has had several meeting with the authorities on the way forward but in the end, nothing happens, the CBA of 2017/2021 has never been implemented,” he said.
Omondi accused Health Cabinet Secretary, Susan Nakhumincha of politicising health issues.
He added that health was a critical sector that needed to be handled with utmost care and seriousness.
The medic said the union has 19 grievances with five of them which include posting of interns, implementation of the 2017/2021 CBA, doctors’ medical cover and special being vital.
“Posting of interns should be done as per the CBA of 2017/2021 which outlines how they need to be employed, they duration of service before employment, and their payment,” he said.
Omondi said implementation of the 2017/2021 CBA, especially on the issue of basic salary should be hastened.
“It is seven years since the CBA was signed, agreed upon and deposited in court, we went through the normal process of negotiation,” he said.
On the issue of medical cover, he said that it was unfortunate that doctors were offering a service that they and their families could not achieve yet the CBA had stipulated the need for them to be covered.
“The government is rolling out Social Health Insurance Fund and Universal Health Coverage which denies doctors a medical cover,” he claimed.
He also noted that doctors have been unable to further their education and specialise since 2018.
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