KMPDU withdraws medical interns from hospitals

Doctors union KMPDU has directed intern doctors to stay away from their workstations immediately in protest of the continued alleged failure by the government to pay their salaries.

KMPDU Secretary General Devji Atellah said the interns have gone without pay for the past four months resulting in financial woes that have pushed some of them to the brink.

He said the union has thus far lost two intern doctors largely because of financial problems, the latest being a pharmacist at Thika Level 5 Hospital.

Four others, he said, attempted to take their lives but were rescued and hospitalised.

"We will not afford to see any more deaths out of desperation,  despair and disillusionment that is caused by hardworking conditions. You must all stay at home as we try to discuss these matters with the government," Atellah said. 

"How many more doctor interns must die for this government to keep its promises?" he posed.

The union boss said that on May 8, doctors called off their 56-day strike after signing a return-to-work formula with the government but seven months down the line, the government was yet to honour the commitment to pay salaries by per the scales contained in the agreement and endorsed by court.

He said the government is keen on accelerating achievement of Universal Health Coverage but wondered "how is universal healthcare deliverable if the government is out to kill the same persons that are supposed to deliver the services in hospitals?"

Atellah said doctors will congregate at the Safari Park hotel on November 30 for a national delegates conference with the sole agenda to decalre a strike.

"We know it will be a sad situation that time but government is entirely responsible because they are failing to honour agreements and they are failing to honour court orders," he said.

Atellah further said the government is to blame for the loss of the two medical interns who died by suicide as it has failed to honour its promise to pay them.

Tuesday's demise of the pharmacist in Thika come barely three months following the death of another medical intern at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital, also by suicide.

On September 24, Dr Desiree Moraa was found on the balcony of her bedroom apartment in a death colleagues said was largely prompted by financial problems and fatigue borne from long working hours.

"Government will equally take blame for the death of Kenyans who will lose their lives due to our total shutdown that is coming in the month of December," Atellah said.

He said the union will this time round not entertain calls for dialogoue as the government has had seven months to implement what was agreed upon during the talks that ended the May strike.

"It will be time to implement the agreements that were signed and adopted as court orders."