Govt Admits Financial Crisis, Warns About Salary Payments
On Wednesday, April 3, Felix Koskei, the Head of Public Service, declared that due to a financial crisis, the government would be unable to fulfill the salary requests of medical interns.
During the commencement of the first-ever Women in Procurement and Supply Chain Management Conference in Naivasha, Koskei emphasized that the government’s financial capacity limits it to a payment of Ksh70,000.
The Salaries and Remunerations Commission (SRC) has suggested a figure of Ksh70,000, whereas the interns are advocating for Ksh206,000.
Felix Koskei observed that due to challenging economic conditions requiring austerity measures, the government was unable to meet the requested salary.
Koskei pointed out that although medical interns had previously received this amount, it had become unsustainable because of the rising number of medical students graduating annually.
Koskei pointed out that if the medical interns agree to the adjusted amount of Ksh70,000, they will be promptly assigned to various hospitals.
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On Tuesday, Koskei disclosed that the government had allocated Ksh2.4 billion for the deployment of medical graduates from the 2023/2024 academic year.
Koskei disclosed that if the government were to comply with the striking doctors’ requests, the cost would skyrocket to Ksh12 billion, an amount beyond the government’s financial capacity.
“We should focus on the internship of these medical students who will in future earn whatever they want once they are through with their learning,” he was quoted as saying.
The healthcare industry faces a crisis as a result of a strike by medical professionals lasting three weeks.
In addition to assigning medical interns, physicians are urging the government to address the matter of promotions and scholarships for graduate students in the medical field.
The doctors additionally urge the government to settle outstanding salary dues resulting from the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of 2017-21.
Govt Admits Financial Crisis, Warns About Salary Payments