Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has today threatened to call a strike in six counties.
The union said the strikes are meant to push for better hospital equipment, sufficient drugs supply, failure to honour CBAs and promotions among other issues.
Speaking in Elementaita, Gilgil Sub-County, Nakuru KMPDU Secretary General, Davji Atellah said the counties to be affected are Nakuru, Embu, Vihiga, Kajiado, Busia and Kilifi.
He noted that medics in the listed counties were tired since the counties refused to implement their rights.
“The officials have deliberated on many issues affecting members and the entire health care delivery in the country. We have come up with pertinent resolutions which include the looming strike,” he said.
Atellah added that the medic will be relentless until their demands were addressed.
He termed the deduction of unconditional levies such as the housing levy and high taxation from members’ salaries as daylight robbery
He further ordered the government to refund the deducted cash with immediate effect.
Atellah added that doctors were suffering from from the high cost of living besides the non-implementation of necessary components of their CBA.
He attributed their suffering on the increased taxes and levies yet doctors’ salaries have not been increased since 2017.
“Many of the KMPDU members cannot even service their loans because the deductions have reduced their salaries,” he said
The secretary general also said the union wanted a 40 per cent salary increment for all its members.
He further claimed that the Social Health Insurance Act was going to deny health care services to all doctors.
“The enhanced cover component that doctors were enjoying has been removed which means that members will be offering health care services yet they cannot afford it,” he observed.
