Doctors strike Kenya - Kenya’s 2,300 striking doctors called off a week-long strike on Monday, after President Mwai Kibaki called for negotiations to end it, insisting that millions of citizens required treatment on a daily basis. The Kenya Medical, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary-General, Boniface Chatayi, called off the strike after the two sides agreed to set up 12-member taskforce to discuss the terms of a 300 per cent pay-hike.

Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy Prime Minister, led the talks with the doctors union, along with the Public Service Ministry and the ministries of health and medical services, to rescue an increasingly worsening medical stand off.

Most public hospitals were being forced to close specialized units as the doctors threatened to begin mass resignation unless their demands were met.

“The doctors are prepared to go to any lengths to protect the dignity of the Kenyan patient,” Chatayi said earlier, before the strike was called off, adding: “The doctors' union has been very reasonable and humane in its demands.”

Kenyatta said he understood the treasury would be forced to “dig deeper” into its pockets to satisfy the demands of the doctors.

During the last week, doctors holding placards sang, mocking the political class for taking their demands lightly and showing disrespect for their six years university education.

“Tumesoma na tumesota' — a slang Swahili word for “we are learned and broke,” as they flocked at the Treasury to demand the pay rise.

The strike was called off as the government planned to move to court on Tuesday to nullify the strike and declare it illegal.

Chatayi said the meeting agreed on the immediate calling off of the strike and US$340 hardship allowance for the doctors payable this month and a second batch of a similar amount, payable from July 2012.

“The taskforce, to be set up, will have six representatives each. It will start work on Thursday. It will hold negotiations to address industrial relations-related issues, workers and report back within seven days,” Chatayi said.

The government agreed to offer Ksh54 million for training of doctors in the first year and another Ksh61 million for training needs of doctors, Chatayi said, adding that the government also agreed to employ 200 doctors. It also agreed to put aside Ksh130 million for promotion.

He disclosed further that the government would also nullify all victimization of the doctors during the eight-day strike.

Pana 13/12/2011