Striking medics start weekly boycott of private hospitals

Public sector doctors will every Thursday starting today boycott work at major private hospitals as their strike in State-funded health facilities enters day 18.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union said the consultants would restrict their services in top hospitals — the Aga Khan University Hospital, Mater Hospital, MP Shah and Nairobi Hospital — until the government meets their pay demands.

“Come Thursday, all the private clinics and hospitals are going to shut down,” said secretary-general Ouma Oluga.

“Unless the CBA (collective bargaining agreement) is implemented, we are not going back to work and as it stands now, the government has continued to show that it does not care about its citizens.”

The doctors are pushing for the implementation of a 2013 pay raise deal between their union and the government.

Comprising about 5,000 members, the union says the CBA was to give them a 300 per cent pay raise, review their working conditions and address under-staffing of medical professionals in public hospitals, among others.

The strike has paralysed service delivery at public hospitals countrywide.

Prof Emily Rogena, a consultant pathologist at the University of Nairobi and member of the union said they would withdraw services from the top private hospitals.

Private hospitals will have to rely on their in-house doctors in what looks set to slow down services.

“The hospital has in place contingency measures to respond to increasing number of patients seeking care. However, provision of services may take slightly longer than usual,” said the Aga Khan Hospital in a statement yesterday.

Union officials will today know their fate for defying the courts and calling on its members to boycott work.

The court had on December 1 ordered the union to put off the industrial action for 30 days to allow room for talks.

READ: Judge says striking doctors’ officials in contempt, to decide their fate

The talks between the union, counties and national government collapsed, leaving sick Kenyans to their own devices.

The union has maintained that there would be no more negotiations unless the CBA signed in 2013 is implemented.

“Doctors have proven that the country can do without them and that their demands are on a greedier side,” said government spokesperson Eric Kiraithe in his personal capacity.

He said the 2013 CBA was a draft and could not be use as a basis for the strike.

“Doctors are not actually on strike… doctors are there but are available for the rich,” said Mr Kiraithe.

“They want to earn Sh330,000 immediately they leave university… honestly that is on a greedier side. We must show some belief in humanity.”