The Nairobi Hospital has dismissed reports that doctors under the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union have issued a seven-day strike notice over labour-related grievances.
The doctors' union through secretary general Dr Davji Atellah cited "unmet promises by Nairobi Hospital" as the motivating factor behind the strike notice, which he said would expire at midnight, Tuesday, December 17.
"Enough is enough and the general public and the international community is therefore notified that unlike before when we issued a notice, this time round, doctors and nurses will neither attend to any patients in the wards nor any emergencies," Atellah said in a statement early Tuesday.
He said the strike by over 300 KMPDU doctors at the hospital will rop in all clusters of support staff, including cooks, cleaners, security, potters and morticians.
"We have tried to engage the management to the point of going to court and getting a favourable ruling but the courts haven't been obeyed and we have filed for contempt proceedings," the SG claimed.
Atellah said the strike notice serves as a warning to all the other private hospitals that may have backtracked on agreements with their doctors.
But in a statement Tuesday afternoon, Nairobi Hospital's acting chief executive officer, Felix Osano, dismissed KMPDU's claim of issuance of a strike notice by the facility's doctors as false.
"The Nairobi Hospital wishes to categorically refute the false allegations circulating in certain fora claiming that the hospital's unionised doctors for the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) have issued a strike notice," he said.
Osano said the hospital takes proactive measures to resolve any disputes with its healthcare workers.
"We maintain an open and constructive dialogue with our medical staff and continue to prioritise their needs to ensure a harmonious working environment," Osano said.
He added that healthcare services at the Nairobi Hospital continue to run uninterrupted and all patients are being attended.
"Our dedicated team of professionals are unwavering in their commitment to delivering exceptional care.
We urge the public, our partners and stakeholders to disregard any misleading information intended to cause unnecessary alarm," Osano said.