Nurses, clinicians left out as doctors sign deal to end strike

Clinicians and nurses were left in the cold yesterday as the Government met up with doctors to sign an agreement that led to their strike being called off.

The return-to-work formula was signed yesterday at Afya House by Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe and his Labour counterpart Simon Chelugui.

The deal signed by doctors provides a framework of how issues they had raised will be handled.

“The National Treasury to fast track release of required budgetary allocations to enable the counties to procure Group Life, Last Expense, Enhanced Work Injury Benefits (Wiba) and Group Personal Accident Cover as provided by the National Hospital Insurance Fund,” reads the document in part.

This should be done by February 2021. On issues of call allowances, the agreement speaks of more consultations with the Ministry of Health, Salaries and Remuneration Commission and National Treasury to allow payment of the same to doctors working in universities.

“All the issues raised have either been addressed or there is an assurance they will be. My ministry will engage with any county government to ensure the return-to-work formula is implemented,” said Labour CS Chelugui.

Chelugui said there will be a standing committee in the ministry which will always be ready to address any issue raised by the healthcare workers.

CS Kagwe described the agreement as a win-win.

“We are looking at matters not just on the table but generally on how health can be improved,” said Kagwe.

KMPDU Acting Secretary-General Dr Chibanzi Mwachonda assured doctors that there will be no victimisation after the agreement and for counties like Mombasa, Nyamira and Migori with unique labour disputes, there will be efforts to mediate.

“I would like to declare that the strike has been called off,” said KMPDU Acting Secretary General Dr Chibanzi Mwachonda adding that the union will continue with further engagement to iron out all issues. While majority of the grievances cut across all cadres, no official from the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers or Kenya National Union of Nurses was present.

“We were not invited and we cannot invite ourselves,” said Kuco chair Peterson Wachira. “Let us wait if we will be called.”

This situation still leaves majority of Kenyans without access to healthcare as level II and III facilities (dispensaries and health centres) where most Kenyans go for treatment are primarily managed by nurses and clinical officers.

When asked why nurses and clinical officers have been left out, CS Kagwe did not clearly explain why they were missing only that the Government is still open to discussion with all healthcare workers.

Kagwe said the document signed is a culmination of discussions on health issues that touch not only on doctors but also the rest of the medical workers.

“On all other issues we are happy to discuss and resolve them just like we have resolved this,” he said.

Doctors started their strike on Monday after suspending it for 14 days following intervention of the National Assembly and Senate respective health committees. During these meetings that lasted for three weeks, nurses and clinical officers were also not involved.

Nurses and clinical officers have been on strike for three weeks now, having started on December 7.