Kenya Medical Association (KMA) has taken the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to court over a new payment mode directive.
In a statement, KMA indicated that it sued KRA over the use of the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS).
The doctors want the court to suspend the implementation of the directive for the medical service sector.
"On behalf of all Medical Practitioners, Dentists, Hospitals and Medical Clinics, the KMA has filed a case under a certificate of urgency, against the use of eTIMS by doctors. The doctors are seeking stay orders against the use of eTIMS for the Medical Services Sector," the statement read in part.
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"Cognisant of the March 31st, 2024, deadline by KRA to start the use of eTIMS for invoices by doctors, KMA and KDA urge Doctors, Hospitals and Medical Clinics to continue with their usual invoicing for doctors' invoices and urge medical insurance companies to await the judgement of the case before demanding eTIMS invoices from doctors," it added.
Before going to court, KMA President Dr Simon Kigondu had asked KRA to suspend the directive and allow dialogue to find a lasting solution.
While opposing the use of eTIMS in medical services, he noted that KRA is seeking to force medical practitioners to disclose patient data including patients’ names, sex, hospitalisation and treatment details to the Government through the system.
This, he said, will expose the public prejudice in employment opportunities and public service provision, referring to reports on how KRA used medical and pregnancy tests to deny deserving employment to Kenyans.
Failure to suspend the directive, the medical practitioners threatened to call for mass action.
“In the event that KRA shall not have suspended the rollout of ETIMS as stated, we will have no choice but to call for a nationwide strike with effect from Tuesday, March 26, alongside pursuing an urgent application in court to stop eTIMS implementation on grounds that it is clear violation of the constitutional rights to healthcare, data protection and privacy,” Kigondu had earlier stated.
