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Nurses blame doctors for failed dialogue amid dispute
Health & Science - By
John Shilitsa | December 29th 2020 at 09:30:00 GMT +0300
The nurses’ union has accused doctors of betrayal for calling off their strike last week.
Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako yesterday claimed the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) had frustrated their efforts to negotiate for better working terms.
Mr Panyako,
(pictured), said his union’s negotiations with the government collapsed last Friday after KMPDU tabled its demand for a risk allowance.
“The government had offered Sh8,000 risk allowance, which we were ready to take due to the prevailing economic hardship, but KMPDU scuttled everything with a demand of Sh30,000–the amount we had demanded earlier without success.”
Workers Revolutionary Party
Kenya Medical Practicioners Pharmacists and Dentist Union members marching during their strike
STRIKING Kenyan doctors and nurses have made it clear that no threat will force them back to hospitals.
Nurses and clinical officers stood their ground after a meeting meant to resolve their strike flopped.
They were joined on strike by doctors on Monday with both doctors and nurses demanding better working conditions and enhanced allowances, among other issues.
Doctors had suspended their strike for 14 days to allow for more talks, but on Saturday, they announced resumption of the strike on Monday.
Doctors on Sunday vowed not to return to work until the Government addresses their demands.
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Union leaders representing striking health workers have come out guns blazing and castigated the proponents of the much-hyped Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report for ignoring their plight at their proposal to introduce a Health Service Commission.
The aggrieved health professionals accused the BBI taskforce of being blindfolded by political issues at the expense of crucial social and economic issues affecting the people, particularly workers.
President of the National Nurses Association of Kenya, Alfred Obengo, said the push to have the commission in place was aimed at enhancing efficiency in service delivery and ultimately protecting the lives of Kenyans.
Mwachonda said what they are fighting for is a matter of life and death and not money. He added that while the government has made progress in addressing their issues, they have not been done to completion.
“Yes, you are powerful but we will not be slaves in this country. We have our rights and we have given our demands which have to be met,” Mwachonda said.
Apart from group life insurance cover, medics are also demanding for comprehensive medical cover, enhanced risk allowances, employment of more workers and formation of the Health Service Commission.
Seth Panyako, the Kenya National Union of Nurses secretary general, said a commission is no longer part of the bargain as there is a case in the Constitutional Court to have the commission be part of the Building Bridges Initiative.