Relook into 2017 Doctors’ CBA with KMPDU, Governor Njuki Says 

The Council of Governors wants the 2017 CBA between the doctors union- Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) and the government relooked into. 

CoG claims it contains components that are not only difficult to implement but unreasonable.

According to Council of Governors Health Committee chairperson and Tharaka Nithi governor Muthomi Njuki, 95 percent of doctors have individual contracts with each of the 47 counties, and thus their continued stay in the streets is unwarranted.

Consequently, the governor wants county based doctors unions to engage governors to iron out their grievances as opposed to starving Kenyans of health-care services countrywide.

“Could there be more to the strike than what is being aired? This is the question being fronted by the Council of Governors who believe most of the issues doctors are on strike about have either been addressed or are in the pipeline,” he said.

Speaking at this years Quality Healthcare Kenya Awards held in Nairobi, Council of Governors health committee chairperson Governor Muthomi Njuki wondered why there was a national out cry by doctors, yet a larger percentage of the doctors are employed by the 47 county governments with individual contracts.

“There could be more than meets the eye over what is happening for now,” he said.

Njuki said there was no way doctors were being incited to go on strike countrywide yet the grievances vary from county to county.

The governor questioned the rationale with which a national body is speaking for 95 percent of doctors who are employed by counties.

Some of the grievances put forth include the deployment of intern doctors at a salary of Sh150,000 whereas the government is offering Sh70,000 for now.

Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said there is what is doable and there is what will be done later.

Muthoni asked doctors to reconsider their hardline stance and get back to the negotiating table in a bid to find an amicable solution at the fastest time possible.

The two spoke at the 5th health sector excellence awards dubbed the Quality Healthcare Kenya Awards in Nairobi where Tharaka Nithi and Mombasa counties were feted for exemplary service delivery with Tharaka Nithi winning an award for the best health managed systems in the country.

Doctors turned down a Sh2.4 billion offer from the government that sought to end the ongoing strike.

The strike has paralyzed operations at public hospitals.

The nationwide doctor’s strike entered its third week since March 14, further worsening the sorry state of affairs in hospitals as doctors have abandoned the wards and taken the streets.

Here are those awarded in various categories.

Awards

1. Award of excellence in improving access to primary care services—Changamwe Sub County.

2. Award of excellence in advancing maternal, newborn and child health—Likoni Sub County Hospital.

3. Award of excellence in addressing NCDs— Likoni Sub County.

4. Health facility innovation project of the year—Kidunguni Dispensary

5. Young innovators award—Kevin Otieno

6. Health professional achievement award—Ruwaida Hussein Hadi

7. Lifetime achievement award— Dr. Monica Oguttu.

8. Use of information technology to improve patient care—Jomvu Model Health Centre

9. Award of media excellence in promoting health and wellbeing—Angela Oketch

10. Best use of social media in healthcare—

Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital

1. Excellence in improving access to medical products, vaccines and technologies—Likoni Sub County

2. Healthcare financing innovation award—

Tudor Sub County Hospital

1. Healthcare leadership award—

Phyllys Kemunto Onkoba

1. Gender diversity in healthcare leadership—Ruaraka Uhai Neema Hospital

2. County with best managed healthcare—

Tharaka Nithi County

1. County innovation project of the year—

Tharaka Nithi County

1. Award of excellence in advancing environmental sustainability in healthcare—

AAR Healthcare Kenya Limited

1. Primary Care Provider of the Year—Ruaraka Uhai Neema Hospital

2. Secondary Care Provider of the Year

PCEA Chogoria Hospital

1. Tertiary Care Provider of the Year

Kenyatta National Hospital.