End of doctors' strike could be imminent

Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu after his talks with officials of the Kenya Medical Practitioners Dentists and Pharmacists Union at Fairview Hotel in Nairobi on January 17, 2017. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with four members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union for more than six hours.

  • Their main agenda, according to a doctor privy to the ongoing discussions, was the contentious 2013 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The end of the doctors' strike could be imminent following talks between the government and the medical practitioners' union in Nairobi on Tuesday.

Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with four members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union for more than six hours.

Their main agenda, according to a doctor privy to the ongoing discussions, was the contentious 2013 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

It is this CBA that will provide a salary increase as well as address the doctors’ working conditions, internship, training and other labour relations.

The government had maintained it would not register or implement the CBA because it was not within the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s guidelines for public servants.

Dr Mailu, who was with two other officials from the ministry, had said he would speak to the media after the talks. The talks ended around 6pm and are expected to resume on Wednesday. Neither Dr Mailu nor the doctors’ leaders spoke to reporters afterward.

An insider intimated that by 4pm on Tuesday, the talks had addressed at least two of the nine articles in the CBA. The article on remuneration is likely to be tackled on Wednesday.

NOT CLEAR

But it is not clear how long these discussions will last, though the doctors are glad that finally the negotiations have been channelled to the CBA and not the government’s offers.

The news of the meeting at a Nairobi hotel was welcomed by opposition senators Hassan Omar Hassan (Mombasa) and Mutula Kilonzo Jr (Makueni).

“We are encouraged by the positive step taken by the Cabinet secretary (Health) to convene and commence formal and direct negotiations with representatives of the doctors’ union,” read their statement.

The Council of Governors will meet again on Thursday to develop a new strategy on the doctors’ strike.

Kisii Governor James Ongwae, who also chairs the council’s committee on human resource and manpower, on Tuesday said county bosses are determined to ensure the boycott ends soon to stop the suffering of patients.

On Monday, Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit called on doctors to call off their strike to save the country from more deaths and agony.

The Democratic Party has also called for a dialogue between the two parties.

“We urge doctors to sit down with the government and negotiate to solve the problems,” said party secretary-general Jacob Haji on Monday.

Additional reporting by Philip Bwayo, Magati Obebo and Joseph Wangui.