Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura now claims that the ongoing doctors' strike is politically instigated to sabotage the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, April 4 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre(KICC) Mwaura said there was no explanation for the doctors to continue striking after the government committed to allocate Sh 2.4 billion towards the deployment of medical interns.
“It only leads to one conclusion that there may be a political motive in sabotaging the Social Health Act and the Universal Health Coverage. There is no way you can explain,” said Mwaura.
The government spokesperson noted that the government is to negotiate with Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) officials to end the strike.
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“There were 19 issues and they have been classified 6 for national and 9 for counties. Counties are willing to handle their own issues, national government is willing to handle its own issues. We are obeying the court orders in fact they are the ones breaching the orders,” Mwaura added.
Doctors downed their tools on March 15 demanding over the government’s failure to post medical interns and the health ministry’s non-adherence to the medics’ 2017 CBA.
Despite being offered the Sh2.4 billion to facilitate the immediate deployment and posting of the 2023/24 cohort of medical student interns, KMPDU officials rejected the offer maintaining that the 2017-21 CBA must be honored in totality.
“The doctors of this country did nothing but believe in the promise of their government in 2017 where hence we ended a 100-day strike for the price of a promissory note. It is time to honor that promise. Respectfully,” KMPDU chairman Abi Mwanchi stated.
