Nairobi doctors call off strike after inking deal with City Hall
While making the announcement, KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah noted that demands specifically touching on doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital will also be fulfilled
The 39-day strike by medical doctors employed by the Nairobi City County Government has been suspended after City Hall agreed to meet their demands.
Among the nine demands by the doctors, the Johnson Sakaja-led administration agreed to fulfill are the reinstatement of the two doctors who had been sacked, the issuance of permanent and pensionable employment confirmation letters for 369 doctors by May 1 and payment of gratuity for doctors employed by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS).
City Hall also agreed to pay all the arrears of doctors who have been working at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital from 2021 and promotion of 72 doctors to job Group S, 80 to Q, and 78 to job group R by the start of the next financial year in July.
The county government also agreed to fulfill the mortgage deal with banks at 4 per cent, exploring a national option.
Announcing the deal, Kenya Medical Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Davji Atellah noted that they also had demands that specifically touched on the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), such as the reinstatement of doctors, salary harmonisation, and promotion of 26 consultants by next month which were all agreed to be fulfilled by the County government.
“We celebrate today, and we continue the struggle tomorrow, for better working conditions, fair pay, and respect for our profession,” Atellah stated after a meeting with the County officials led by Governor Sakaja.
The two parties have been engaged in end after a push and a pull with the union officials at some point accusing the City County of not being serious in listening to their plea.
The County government, at some point, also moved to the Employment and Labour Relations Court seeking intervention and they were directed to come up with a return to work formula to allow for the calling off of the strike.
Sources reveal that Governor Sakaja had to intervene after the Health officials severally failed to convene a meeting with the union officials.
