Nairobi Hospital: Only members attended AGM

The Nairobi Hospital has dismissed claims by KMPDU that individuals who attended its December 4 AGM were not bona fide members of the Kenya Hospital Association.

The Kenya Hospital Association (KHA) is the managing entity of the hospital.

In a statement on Wednesday, KHA board chair Dr Chris Bichage said the Annual General Meeting was attended by bona fide members, contrary to allegations by the doctors union.

"The Annual General Meeting was held on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, where bona fide members of the Kenya Hospital Association (KHA) participated, and those who voted included the Admitting Staff Association (ASA) doctors and non-ASA members of the Kenya Hospital Association," Dr Bichage said.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) on Tuesday claimed the meeting held at the main hospital's Amphitheatre located on the 2nd floor of Anderson Centre "was a big sham" attended by "hired goons."

In a statement through Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah, the KMPDU claimed that "hired goons" pretending to be bona fide KHA members "mishandled and beat up the real members during the meeting.".

"They arrived in minibuses. Doctors and bona fide members were taken aback and were shocked to watch in disbelief these characters dressed in butcher coats pretending to be new registrars of the hospital," Dr Atellah said.

In their replying statement on Wednesday, the KHA refuted the claims.

"We urge the public, our partners, and stakeholders to disregard any misleading information intended to cause unnecessary alarm. The Nairobi Hospital remains focused on its mission to offer world-class healthcare to the community," Dr Bichage said.

He reiterated that doctors at the hospital have not issued any strike notice as claimed by KMPDU in their Tuesday statement.

"Contrary to the allegations, no strike notice has been issued by the hospital’s doctors. We maintain open and constructive dialogue with our medical staff and continue to prioritise their needs to ensure a harmonious working environment," Dr Bichage said.

In their statement, KMPDU said doctors and other staff at The Nairobi Hospital would go on strike upon lapse of a seven-day strike notice at the stroke of midnight, December 17.

Dr Atellah cited reduced medical cover and unmet promises regarding the welfare of a combined healthcare workforce of almost 300 members of the KMPDU, Admitting Staff Association and members of the Kenya Hospital Association, who he said would all down their tools.

"We have tried to engage the management to the point of going to court and getting a favourable ruling, but the management has decided to disobey the courts, and we have filed for contempt proceedings. As such, we have decided that we shall mobilise our members and go on strike in the next seven days. All workers of Nairobi Hospital, not just medical doctors," Dr Atellah said.

Besides dismissing the strike threat, the Kenya Hospital Association also sought to set the record straight, saying consultant doctors under the umbrella of the Admitting Staff Association are not employees of The Nairobi Hospital.

"They are independent contractors who use the hospital’s facilities to treat their patients," Dr Bichage said.

He said this arrangement guarantees availability of a large pool of consultants from whom patients can access specialist care to ensure "inavailability of a given consultant doctor is immediately covered by a doctor from the pool of consultant doctors."

Regarding issues touching on the welfare of the consultants and doctors under the Admitting Staff Association (ASA), Dr Bichage said, "The hospital's management is engaging the consultant doctors on a continuous basis in a bid to ensure that we continue with the cordial relations that have existed over the years.".

"The hospital remains fully operational and continues to provide quality healthcare services to all patients without disruption. Our dedicated team of professionals are unwavering in their commitment to delivering exceptional care," Dr Bichage said.