Doctors in Kajiado Issue Strike Notice

Kajiado,

Friday December 1,2023

KNA by Rop Janet

Doctors in Kajiado County have issued a 7-day strike notice to the County Government urging them to address issues affecting their members’ failure to which they will proceed on strike.

Led by the Kenya Medical Pharmacists, Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), National Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah and South Rift Branch officials, the doctors accused the County Government of not honouring the signed Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Dr Atellah revealed that doctors are forced to work under a hostile work environment and poor conditions with many having worked for years without promotion.

He accused the County Government of practicing clannism, nepotism and favouritism in promotion of doctors.

“We have doctors who have worked for 5-10 years in the same job group without any promotion. The few who benefited from promotions was as a result of clannism, nepotism and favouritism being practiced in the county,” he said.

The Secretary General called for an investigation into the Kajiado County Public Service board whom he accused of propagating tribalism.

He added that in the recently released report of the county’s staff audit which was commissioned 4 months ago, the CPSB was adversely mentioned.

The union official further lamented that the doctors were understaffed and over worked and requests for annual or study leaves were not being approved.

He added that some consultants are serving in two working stations which are hundreds of kilometers apart without transport allowances.

“Doctors are understaffed and overworked with zero leave days thus suffer burn out. The County government has refused to employ new doctors making the situation worse.” He stated.

According to Dr Isaac Naikumi, Deputy Secretary KMPDU South Rift region, doctors working in the county are often intimidated and transferred to hardship areas when they complain about poor working conditions.

He accused Health County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Alex Kilowua of threatening and intimidating the doctors.

“There are proper guidelines for transfers, no doctor should be intimated by any authority because of demanding for their rights as we are protected by the law” he said.

He added that the condemnation of doctors based on hearsay and not giving them a room to express themselves or be heard in the county was a common occurrence.

“We call upon the intervention of EACC to investigate the legitimacy of Kilowua who continues to hold the sensitive health docket as CECM without commensurate academic qualifications, intimidation of doctors, abuse of power and gross misconduct. “He stated.

Courtesy; KNA