Doctors in Embu County have resumed duty after calling off a strike which paralysed public health services for 14 days.
The medical professionals resumed duty following an agreement with the County Government to address their grievances, especially poor working conditions.
The strike was officially called off on Wednesday after a meeting involving the County Government, doctors’ representatives and officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU).
The parties agreed on modalities for resumption of work and implementation of measures aimed at improving service delivery and staff welfare.
According to KMPDU National Deputy Secretary General, Dr. Dennis Miskellah, the industrial action was triggered by delayed and denied promotions, an acute shortage of healthcare workers, non-remittance of statutory deductions and failure to convert locum doctors to permanent and pensionable terms.
Speaking to the press on Thursday, Dr. Miskellah said the county government had committed to immediately initiating the promotion of eligible doctors and to advertising additional promotional vacancies to address career stagnation among health workers.
To bridge staffing gaps, the county also agreed to recruit 13 specialised doctors.
These include five medical officers, one maxillofacial surgeon, one pathologist, two gynaecologists, one orthopaedic surgeon, one neurosurgeon, one oncologist and one oncology pharmaceutical specialist.
All the specialists will be hired on permanent and pensionable terms.
On the issue of non-remittance of statutory deductions, Dr. Miskellah said the county government acknowledged the problem and had incorporated the outstanding amounts into its budgetary planning process.
He explained that part of the arrears would be cleared in the next supplementary budget, with the balance paid in the next financial year.
Dr. Miskellah criticised the County Government for failing to act promptly on the doctors’ concerns, saying earlier intervention would have prevented the prolonged disruption of health services.
“The blame for the industrial action lies squarely on the employer for failing to address these grievances on time whenever they arise,” he said.
He, however, welcomed the commitments made by the county, expressing optimism that their implementation would improve morale among doctors and enhance healthcare service delivery in Embu.
Doctors across the county have since returned to their respective duty stations as patients resume access to essential medical services.
By Samuel Waititu
