Medics, State to give decision on strike today

There is hope for a deal being struck today between the government, counties and the doctors to end 57 days of agony in the healthcare sector, if the easy atmosphere in last evening’s talks between Council of Governors (CoG) and the medics, is anything to go by.

According to a source at Delta House, the CoG headquarters confirmed to this publication that there was a ‘feel-good’ atmosphere during the meeting, a sign it might end positively.

The doctors were meeting CoG, in compliance with Monday’s directive by the Employment and Labour Relations Court, for the parties in the dispute arising from unresolved issues in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of 2017, to agree on a way forward.

Dr Denis Miskellah, the deputy secretary general, Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), confirmed that for the first time, the CoG looked more accommodative and less combative as has been previously.

“At least now they look sober, and less belligerent,” he said in reference to the talks led by CoG Health Committee Chair, Muthomi Njuki, Nyeri Governor, Mutahi Kahiga (Chairperson, Human Resource, Labour and Social Welfare Committee) and his Nandi County counterpart, Stephen Sang’ (CoG, Chief Whip).

Dr Miskellah expressed hope that if the meeting ends well, today the two parties may sign an agreement for depositing in Court before the deadline issued by Justice Byrum Ongaya lapses this afternoon.

On Monday afternoon, Justice Ongaya gave the two parties; the government and the striking doctors until 2.30pm today to reach a return to work formula agreement, failure to which the court would decide on the way forward.

“We hope to sign a deal, and a return to work formula tomorrow if the meeting ends positively, and perhaps the same with the Ministry of Health later this evening,” Dr Miskellah said last evening, and as the discussions were going on, he couldn’t divulge much.

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However, he could not substantially say how the MoH will settle the issue of the intern posting as it was the key issue of controversy since the talks kicked off with the Whole-of-Nation-Approach dialogue over one month ago.

Perhaps another indicator a deal could be struck today is based on the move by the doctors to postpone street protests that were scheduled for yesterday.

KMPDU Secretary-General Davji Atellah, in a letter to union members, said the peaceful protests had been postponed to an unnamed date to pave the way for ongoing negotiations with the government in addressing their grievances.

“This decision comes in light of ongoing negotiation that has been scheduled for today, 7th May 2024, at 10am. We believe that engaging in the negotiation is crucial in addressing the concerns and grievances that led to the planned demonstration,” said Dr Atellah.

“The union remains committed to keeping you updated on any developments regarding the negotiations and the rescheduled date for the demonstration.”

The doctors downed their tools and stayed away from their duty stations, and since then it has been 57 days of agony in hospitals as the medics have been protesting the government’s failure to post medical interns and implement the 2017 CBA on their labour terms.

They have held long-running negotiations with a ‘Whole of the Nation Approach’ committee bringing together the Ministry of Health, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and the Head of Public Service.

But these negotiations have faced turbulent times on several occasions with the climax coming last Friday night, when the doctors walked on the government side comprising of Cabinet Secretaries: Susan Nakhumicha (Health), Florence Bore (Labour), Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei and the CoG leadership.

Angered by the doctors’ move, Koskei who chairs the ‘Whole of the Nation Approach’ committee said the government was this week prepared to do away with any further dialogue with the medics. He said on Friday night, the government side will seek court orders to institute disciplinary action against the doctors after allegedly they introduced new demands.

“We are going to petition the court to allow us to take any necessary action to alleviate the problem that is obtaining and at the same time to ensure that the lives and health of people of Kenya are safeguarded,” Koskei said.