The Ministry of Health has assured it will address concerns raised by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union regarding intern doctors’ pay.
Health CS Deborah Barasa announced on Thursday that payments had already been initiated for 1,247 intern doctors.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement signed between the Ministry of Health and KMPDU stipulates a stipend of Ksh206,000 for all intern doctors, an increase from the current Ksh70,000.
She also reiterated that negotiations were ongoing to resolve the conflict between the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s (SRC) advisory to the Ministry of Health and the CBA signed between the Ministry of Health and KMPDU.
“The Ministry of Health remains committed to addressing the concerns of medical interns. Payments for the cohort of 1,247 interns currently in training centres are being made as per the 2017 CBA,” CS Barasa assured.
“Negotiations are ongoing to resolve the conflict between the SRC’s advisory to the Ministry of Health and the CBA signed between the Ministry of Health and KMPDU, which provides for a stipend of Ksh206,000 per month based on Job Group L,” she added.
Barasa’s statement comes hours after KMPDU gave the Ministry of Health a 30-day strike ultimatum to resolve the stalemate on the payment of intern doctors.
Davji Atellah, accused the government of dishonesty and vowed to take any necessary action, including strikes, to ensure the Collective Bargaining Agreement CBA is upheld.
“Barely two months after signing an agreement securing full intern postings and salaries as per the 2017 CBA, the Ministry of Health is now attempting to reverse these gains by imposing an outrageous salary cut from Ksh206,000 to Ksh70,000,” Atellah alleged.
“The latest statement by the Cabinet Secretary is not only malicious but also backwards and shameful. It must be condemned in the strongest terms. Nowhere else but at the Ministry of Health do programmes evolve in reverse,” he added.
The health workers’ union has now given the government until March 18 this year to ensure that all intern doctors are posted and paid in full under the terms of the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).