Doctors threaten to go on strike again over pay dispute

Doctors have threatened to go on strike again in a dispute over unpaid salaries.

The doctors’ union officials yesterday accused county governments of failing to honour a return-to-work formula that ended their 100-day strike that started on December 5 last year.

“We won’t work without pay. So if anyone wants to replay the 100 days of the doctors’ strike, we won’t hesitate to give them another 200,” Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union boss Ouma Oluga said.

VICTIMISING DOCTORS
Dr Oluga said none of the promises agreed upon in the return-to-work deal had been met despite President Kenyatta directing that they be paid for the days they were on strike.

“Doctors have not received a single cent of the allowances, which were added, or received four to five months’ pay and our timelines for being placed in the job groups have passed,” he said.

He added that some national and county government officials were still victimising doctors, in spite of the Labour ministry advising against it.

“Doctors have been stretched thin and won’t continue working when they can’t afford basic needs,” he said in a statement.

BE PATIENT
At the same time, Dr Oluga claimed some government officials were inciting doctors to go on strike.

He however did not divulge further details on that claim.

Efforts to reach Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu regarding the new strike threat were unsuccessful.

However, county officials who spoke to Nation called for patience in resolving the pay dispute.

Kisumu Health Executive Lusi Ojwang’ said he was optimistic the doctors would be paid by the end of this month.

His Meru counterpart William Muraa asked for a “little time to find out from my people on the ground”.

Last week, Council of Governors chairman Peter Munya said counties had not paid the doctors because the Treasury had not provided the money.