Medical associations call on international organisations to help end doctors' strike
Lukoye Atwoli. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
In a statement, the Kenya Medical Association said the responsibility of resolving the crisis lies squarely in the executive.
The association on Tuesday termed the strike that has crippled health services a national crisis.
A group of medical associations have called on two international organisations to help end the doctors’ strike.
The group has also asked the Office of the President to help resolve the crisis.
In a statement, the Kenya Medical Association said the responsibility of resolving the crisis lies squarely in the executive.
The association on Tuesday termed the strike that has crippled health services a national crisis.
“This is beyond the ability of any single ministry in the national or county government to handle effectively,” said Prof Lukoye Atwoli, the group’s secretary.
The medical associations called on the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization to help.
He said the association was not asking the World Health Organisation to import doctors.
“How can the government import doctors if they cannot pay their own?” he asked.
Talks between doctors, the government and the Council of Governors to end the strike, which is in its 15th day, failed on Saturday.
Doctors accuse the government of lacking the will to honour the collective bargaining agreement of 2013.
But while being interviewed on a morning show on a local television yesterday, government spokesman Eric Kiraithe said that “doctors have proven we can do without them.”
