During the agreement brokered by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Director General of Health Patrick Amoth, the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors, the state agreed to honour the grievances raised by the medics.
The agreement resolved that medical intern doctors would be paid Ksh206,000 per month in salaries and that the monies should reflect on their December payslips.
This was in fulfilment of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in 2017-2021 after a prolonged doctors’ strike.
“As of today, interns’ salaries have been updated in their payslips, aligning with the terms outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Furthermore, 50% of the basic salary arrears are now being disbursed, with Kwale County (via KCB Bank) leading as the first to reflect these payments,” KMPDU national Secretary-General Davji Atella said on Thursday, December 19, 2024.
The agreement signed also entailed a clause to ensure that medical doctors’ professional development and career progression were assured.
In their strike notice, the doctors had cited professional development and training as some of the reasons for their planned doctors’ strike which was to occur during the festivities.
However, Atella stated that the concerns have been addressed.
In the 2017 CBA, KMPDU had demanded that the government disburse Ksh3.5 billion basic salary arrears to counties to go towards compensation of the medical doctors. However, the government had indicated that they wanted the arrears spread over five years.
In the agreement, KMPDU said the arrears would be paid by mid-2025 in the 2025/2026 Financial year
The agreement also resolved to honour a return-to-work formula signed on May 8, 2024, following the resolution of a 56-day doctors’ strike which paralyzed healthcare in the country.
“This progress is a testament to the dedication and collective strength of our union, and we remain steadfast in our pursuit of equity, respect, and fairness in the medical profession,” Atellah said.
On his part, Council of Governors chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi promised to fulfil the counties’ end of the bargain, including progressive salary adjustments
“The strike which had been called by KMPDU has been called off as a result of intense negotiations that have been carried out in the last few days,” Abdullahi said.
“We want to assure KMPDU that the remaining parts of any agreement including the adjustments that we said we would push to the 2025/2026 (financial year) would be adhered to.”
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki hailed the cancellation of the doctors’ strike noting that the doctors had made a selfless decision to find common ground with the state.
“We welcome the selfless decision of the doctors to call off the intended industrial action and their willingness to continue engagement with the National and County Governments in the spirit of collaboration, consensus building and good faith,” Kindiki said.
“We are happy to report that the strike has been called off and we are continuing to engage the human resource for health which is a critical pillar in the implementation of Taifa Care,” Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa said.
