Doctors, clinical officers protest over pay cuts, job security

Healthcare workers took to the streets on Tuesday, March 18 demanding fair treatment and job security, warning of a nationwide strike if intern salaries were cut.

 Led by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), doctors marched to the Social Health Authority (SHA) headquarters, the Ministry of Health and Parliament, presenting a petition against proposed salary reductions.

 KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah said the government had planned to cut medical interns’ salaries from more than Sh200,000 to Sh70,000 by amending the 2017 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), citing reduced USAID funding.

 “There was a plot to change the 2017 CBA to cut the salaries of intern doctors, under the claim that USAID had reduced funding. We rejected this,” said Atellah.

 Doctors also raised concerns over SHA’s failure to settle medical bills, leaving some healthcare workers detained in hospitals.

 “If they reduced our salaries or failed to improve SHA, on May 9 we were ready to issue a nationwide doctors' strike notice,” said Universal Health Coverage (UHC) worker Elias Mutai.

 Joining the protest were Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) members, demanding permanent employment for more than 8,500 UHC workers who have been on contracts for five years.

 

KUCO Chair Peterson Wachira said temporary contracts for essential workers were illegal and unjust.

 “They have been receiving half the salary of their counterparts. They were there to demand that they be permanently hired and included in the budget,” said Wachira.

 The unions vowed to escalate their action if their demands were not met.