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The Health CS was answering questions during her vetting in Parliament.
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At the moment, she said she does not have a solution but she proposed for situational analysis to develop action plans following that.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Health Cabinet Secretary nominee Debra Mulongo Barasa has said she will ensure that she works together with the doctors' unions to ensure that there will be no more strikes.
She acknowledged that the doctors' strike has been a challenge over time immemorial and needs a long-term solution.
"I believe that the long-term solutions are with us. We need to work together with the unions, doctors themselves, the interns, the bodies among other stakeholders to come up with a solution," she said.
The Health CS was answering questions during her vetting in Parliament.
At the moment, she said she does not have a solution but she proposed for situational analysis to develop action plans following that.
She proposed starting with a doctors'/ interns' Act, the Return to Work Formulas which needs implementation with help from the Ministry of Treasury.
Doctors returned to work two months ago following a three-month strike.
On May 8, public doctors signed a return-to-work agreement with the government meant to end a strike that started in mid-March.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), which represents more than 7,000 members, went on strike on March 15, to demand payment of their salary arrears and the immediate hiring of trainee doctors, among other grievances.
KMPDU said the doctors' arrears arose from a 2017 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The doctors were also demanding the provision of adequate medical insurance coverage for themselves and their dependents.
"One thing we must assure everybody, every doctor, every person that the rights of workers as enshrined in the collective bargaining agreement that is signed is that it is sacrosanct, we will always endeavour to protect that," Dhavji Atellah, KMPDU's secretary general, said then.
In July, the Ministry of Health announced that 1,210 medical interns would report to work on August 1.
However, the ministry remained mum on the remaining 2,550 interns from other health cadres who are yet to be posted.
The ministry has also not been paying clinical officer interns who were posted in April.
Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said they had signed an agreement with KMPDU for the medical interns to begin their internships by August 1.
"This crucial agreement confirms the immediate posting of 1,210 intern doctors, enabling them to start their internships by August 1, 2024," Muthoni said.
Following the signing, the ministry revoked the internship offer letters issued on March 18, 2024.