Doctors in Kisumu have called off their three-day strike that had threatened to paralyse services in public hospitals in the county.
Nyanza Region Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentist Union (KMPDU) Chairman Kevin Osuri called off the strike Monday after the doctors downed their tools on Friday.
The new turn of events followed negotiations on the 2017 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that were held over the weekend with the Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o and the Nyanza region and national KMPDU officials.
AGREEMENT
“Kisumu Governor, Prof Nyong’o, formed a public service board [through] which we were able to reach an agreement with the county government,” said Dr Osuri on Monday.
Dr Osuri led his members and the Kisumu County representatives in signing a return to work formula on Monday at the offices of the county’s department of Health.
The agreement favoured all the four grievances which had been raised by the doctors, namely promotions, NHIF cover, statutory deductions and study leaves.
BENEFICIARIES
Apart from the doctors, nurses, lab technicians and other medical staff will also benefit from the CBA agreement.
About 250 doctors downed their tools on Friday midnight over unfulfilled demands captured in the 2017 CBA between them and the county government.
The doctors had issued a seven-day strike notice son June 14.
DEMANDS
Through their union, the doctors demanded the promotion of all their members who are qualified for the same, comprehensive NHIF coverage, release of doctors who are qualified for study leave and remittance of their deductions to relevant bodies.
While calling the strike, Dr Osuri had said that doctors in Kisumu had been denied study leave for unknown reasons while those who came back from study leave still stagnated in very low job groups.
In March, the doctors suspended, at the last hour, a looming strike after the county government promised to address their demands by July.
The doctors have always protested that the county has failed to promote about 100 of them who are due and also failed to give them a comprehensive medical cover.