Embu doctors set to go on strike

Embu,

Tuesday January 9, 2023,

KNA by Samuel Waititu

Embu County is facing a health crisis due to doctors' planned strike starting Tuesday midnight due to poor working conditions.

The County Government has been granted a 21-day strike notice due to failure to implement a Collective Bargaining Agreement on crosscutting issues such as stagnation, shortage of medics and denial of study leave.

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Upper Eastern Chair Dr. Denis Mugambi stated that despite a strike notice, the employer has not taken any action, forcing them to initiate an industrial action.

 “Starting tonight we are closing all the hospitals and we are asking those with patients admitted in hospitals across the county to discharge them and seek services elsewhere,” he cautioned.

The unionist stated that if the issues aren't resolved within two weeks, they will continue the strike until their grievances are resolved.

Dr. Mugambi reported that most county doctors have been in a single job group without promotions for over a decade, in violation of the 2017-2021 CBA.

The doctor has now demanded for immediate promotion and re-designation of all officers affected by the incident, along with the payment of corresponding arrears.

The shortage of doctors, particularly at Embu Level Five Hospital, is causing a significant impact on the quality of healthcare provided to the citizens.

 “We have less than a 100 doctors in Embu and about 300 more need to be hired to effectively take care of the health care needs of all residents,” he said.

Additionally, the Chair said the County had not remitted their statutory deductions to relevant institutions including bank loans, sacco contributions insurance premiums, PAYE and HELB loans for close to six months’ despite being captured in their pay slips.

“Most of our member have been blacklisted in Credit Reference Bureaus (CRB) for defaulting on loan repayments while other are on the verge of having their property auctioned by lenders,” said Dr. Danson Gitari who is a Consultant Physician at Embu Level Five Hospital.

He said they had also been denied study leave to pursue further studies to sharpen their skills against the established agreement.

The doctors nonetheless expressed willingness for an open and constructive dialogue with the County Government to find a lasting solution to the problem. 

Courtesy; KNA