Intern doctors in Kenya will now earn a monthly salary of Sh206,000, up from Sh70,000, following the signing of a new agreement with the Ministry of Health.
The pay adjustment is in line with the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the government and the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU).
The announcement comes as a relief to the medical fraternity, with the nationwide strike initially planned for December 22, 2024, officially called off.
KMPDU Secretary General, Dr. Davji Atellah, emphasized that the meeting with the Ministry also resolved to pay basic salary arrears owed to medical interns.
The union had earlier issued a strike notice, citing frustration over the government’s failure to implement the 2017 CBA. Speaking on December 3, Dr. Atellah criticized what he described as a disregard for agreements and court orders.
“The national and county governments have ignored our agreements. It’s extraordinary that promises and agreements are not honored, and a CBA respected for over seven years can be undermined by one government directive,” he said.
Dr. Atellah also highlighted the government’s non-compliance with a court ruling delivered on October 26, 2024, which upheld the CBA’s remuneration package for medical interns.
“The intern doctors’ wages were slashed by 70%, an unprecedented move in the history of workers in this country. This impunity towards our interns forced the 10th KMPDU special delegates sitting on November 30, 2024, to ratify the decision for industrial action,” he added.
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The pay dispute began after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) reduced the monthly stipend for medical interns from Sh200,000 to Sh70,000. On October 31, 2024, the High Court upheld the SRC’s decision, dismissing five petitions filed by healthcare interns and professional bodies.
The SRC defended its stance, stating that it acted within its constitutional mandate to set public sector remuneration. The Commission argued that the adjustments were necessary to ensure fiscal responsibility.
With the new agreement in place, the KMPDU expressed optimism that the government would honor its commitments and prioritize the welfare of healthcare workers.
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