The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has announced plans to occupy Afya House starting Monday, July 8, 2024.
In a poster circulating online, KMPDU said they will camp at Afya House from 9 am Monday.
“We will occupy and camp at Afya House Until all medical interns are posted and paid as per CBA 2017 terms,” the poster reads.
This move aims to ensure that all medical interns are posted to health facilities nationwide, as per the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The CBA, ratified in May following a 56-day nationwide doctors’ strike, was part of a return-to-work formula (RTWF) between the union and the government.
KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah noted that the internship posting issue was to be resolved within 60 days, as outlined in the 2017 CBA.
“The 60 days end on July 7, 2024. We are in agreement with the Ministry of Health that interns must be posted before this deadline,” Atellah said.
The Ministry of Health was scheduled to meet with the Treasury before a final meeting set for Thursday, July 4, 2024.
Dr. Atellah stated that while the Ministry of Health has paid school fees for some MMED students, others were left out.
“We have agreed to address this issue, and all pending cases will be resolved to enable students to sit for examinations,” he said.
For doctors on 1-year contracts at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Dr. Atellah mentioned that the Ministry of Health and hospital management will devise a plan to convert these contracts to renewable 3-year contracts.
“Their current gross salary of Ksh.120, 000 will also be harmonized to Ksh.300, 000,” he added.
He also addressed the remuneration of medical registrars, stating that hospitals offering postgraduate training must adhere to the agreed 40-hour workweek and compensate for any extra hours worked.
Health CS previously while addressing the 56-day strike said the posting of interns was to begin on April 1.
“We have received confirmation from the Treasury, and we will start posting all interns from April 1,” Nakhumicha said.
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