Nandi county averts doctors strike, gives in to demands

Nandi County government and the Kenya Medical Practitioner and Dentist Union have averted a doctor’s strike after it agreed to release promotion letters by Friday (today).

Through KMPDU, the 71 doctors in Nandi County had issued a 21-day strike ultimatum to the county government to down their tools of trade if their demands were not met by November 8, 2023.

However, in a swift action, Governor Stephen Sang convened a meeting with the North Rift KMPDU officials today to draw an action plan to avert the strike.

KMPDU North rift secretary Dr. Darwin Ambuka confirmed of the agreement saying the meeting was chaired by Governor Sang and attended by the county human resource team to address the doctor's demands.

“Our members were promised to have their promotion letters by Friday while other demands would be addressed in a week…we are confident with the promise by the governor himself,” Ambuka said.

He however noted that the strike had not been called off until all the 71 doctors received their promotion letters.

The doctors had also demanded an improvement in their conditions including a supply of enough drugs at the hospitals so that patients collect them on prescription.

“Our main priority is to ensure that each doctor receives the deserving promotion because some have served in the same job group for a long and deserve to move to the next level so that they offer their services wholeheartedly,” Ambuka charged.

Other KMPDU officials Dr. Edwin Rono who is a member of the KMPDU executive and Dr. Dan Kimursik urged the county to be considerate by implementing promotions when a doctor was due.

“We don’t like paralyzing services at our hospitals and leaving patients to suffer, we want the county to automatically act when time elapses and allow the medics to move to the next job group,” Rono pleaded.

According to KMPDU, the county government promised to improve the working environment of the doctors in-line with the agreement.

Governor Sang told doctors and Union representatives that the provision of health services to the residents was so sensitive and should never be allowed to be paralyzed appealing to the Union to always seek dialogue.

“The agreement we entered with you is so important because for me life is precious that you should always seek my intervention and not call for a strike,” Sang said.

When he was elected, Sang employed more doctors from 15 medical officers to 71 and did the same for clinical officers, nurses, laboratory technicians and other paramedics.

Health services have also been expanded across the county as modern medical equipment has also been procured and installed.