Nakhumicha Reveals When Govt Will Strike Final Deal With Doctors
The country has been grappling with a prolonged doctors’ strike that has extended beyond a month, despite facing threats from both the National and County Governments toward officials and members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU).
During her remarks on Tuesday, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha suggested that a deal between the government and the union was close at hand.
“The situation is going to be put under control. If not tomorrow, in the next few days we are going to reach an agreement.”
Nakhumicha stated that the government has chosen to delay reaching an agreement with KMPDU to prevent similar issues from recurring in the future.
“What we want to do as a government is to put a bandage on a wound. That is why we are taking our time,” she noted.
The CS reiterated that the government was putting in continuous effort day and night to guarantee that both the medical professionals and the government were content with the ultimate agreement.
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“I want to remind the doctors that we serve a common patient and ask them to come to the table and consider what the government has offered and provide a counteroffer.”
Nakhumicha also mentioned that after numerous meetings, the initiative to seek a resolution has been set in motion, paving the way for direction for all involved parties.
The Cabinet Secretary clarified that not all the requests put forward by the striking doctors can be completely fulfilled.
Nakhumicha emphasized the urgency of swiftly enacting the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) to secure essential funding for acquiring medical supplies and supporting various requirements within the healthcare domain.
“It will ensure we buy drugs, we pay doctors, and buy equipment for our hospitals,” she added.
The ongoing doctors’ strike, now well into its second month, has effectively halted service provision in public hospitals, leaving patients without care. Meanwhile, negotiations between KMPDU and the government have reached an impasse, with no resolution in sight.
Nakhumicha Reveals When Govt Will Strike Final Deal With Doctors