Nairobi doctors on Monday held peaceful demonstrations over their medical benefits, disrupting medical services in some public health institutions.
The medics claimed that the county had not provided them with comprehensive medical coverage since July 2022.
The protesting doctors were from Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, Mbagathi Hospital, and Pumwani Maternity Hospital.
According to Dr Deogracious Maero, chair of the Nairobi branch of the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU), county doctors have been paying their hospital dues out-of-pocket since the new government took office because their National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) contributions have not been remitted.
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The union leaders claimed that the Nairobi County executive tried to switch doctors’ comprehensive health insurance from NHIF to a private insurer without their consent.
“We do not need a private cover but a comprehensive NHIF cover,” he said.
Malindi Chao, KMPDU Secretary General Nairobi Branch, said that talks with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja collapsed after he informed them that his hands were tied.
“Our governor is a very honorable man, he told us that he can’t do anything because he has no Deed of Innovation. We want to know where that Deed is,” she said.
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Dr Maero stated that until they have comprehensive medical coverage from the national insurance, doctors will picket every day.
“We want to tell Nairobians that they may not get services from doctors during the day in the mentioned hospitals until the County reacts to our plea. You may, however, get services at night,” he said
“Ever since the transfer of deeds was returned back to Nairobi City County from the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), our doctors have been suffering, and we can’t let this go.”
The medics have also issued a 7-day strike notice.
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