Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union chairman Victor Ngani (left) and deputy treasurer Amos Onyimbo at a past press conference in Nairobi. Photo/File
Private hospital doctors are pushing their employers to increase their pay after the government raised salaries for their counterparts in public hospitals.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) last week wrote to all private hospitals demanding a salary increase for doctors.
So far, Nairobi West Hospital has reviewed doctors’ salaries while Mater is considering the demand.
“Except for Nairobi West Hospital that is paying their employee well and Mater, which will increase next month, the rest are underpaying their workers,” said KMPDU chairman Victor Ngani.
Doctors in the private sector earn a gross monthly salary of between Sh120,000 and Sh150,000, except for Nairobi West Hospital which pays a net of Sh150,000 (more than Sh200,000 gross), according to KMPDU.
Their counterparts in the public hospital saw their pay increased to Sh110,000 a month for interns in Job Group ‘L.’
Those in Job Group ‘M’ currently earn Sh136,000 a month while senior doctors in Job Group ‘N’ are paid Sh155,000.
Their pay will from July rise by Sh15,000, which will see interns earn Sh125,000, Job Group ‘M’ (Sh151,000) and Job Group ‘N’ (Sh170,000).
Gertrude’s Children’s’ Hospital has allegedly refused to join the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union for fear of being forced to increase employee salaries.
The hospital is said to have been dragging its feet over the issue, citing irregularities in the registration process.
A statement from the Labour ministry said that the Gertrude’s Hospital management had opposed the proposed names of doctors to represent it at the union.
The hospital argues that the doctor’s union should be recognised through a group of hospitals under the Kenya Association of Hospitals (KAH) umbrella and not direct engagement with KMPDU.
A statement signed by Gertrude’s chief executive Gordon Odundo said that the hospital has consistently reviewed doctors’ pay annually.
“We have reviewed our salaries for the last nine years in line with our financial year,” said Mr Odundo.
The children’s hospital has a total of 72 doctors and 700 employees.
The union has accused the hospital’s management of a raft of malpractices including poor payment of doctors, too many working hours and interference with one of its employees terms of employment after she got pregnant.
Pregnant
The female doctor’s terms of employment was changed from permanent contract to temporary after it was discovered that she was pregnant.
The doctor was allegedly screened by the hospital to find out if she was pregnant.
The hospital’s head of human resource and training’ Kowitti Achieng’ however said she was not aware of the case.
“KMPDU has been engaging Gertrude for more than six months now, Gertrude still refuses to accord the union due recognition,” said Dr Were Onyino, secretary general of KMPDU.
