Kenyan doctors have intensified their national strike, now in its second week, by halting emergency services at public hospitals. The strike, which began last Thursday, is a protest against inadequate pay and poor working conditions. Despite a court order mandating negotiations between the doctors and the Health Ministry, thousands of medical practitioners continue to stay away from hospitals.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union Secretary-General stated that the strike was escalated due to the government's lack of effort in resolving the labor dispute. Emergency services at the Kenyatta national referral hospital were suspended, but the Health Minister has taken steps to recruit temporary replacements for the striking doctors to prevent a healthcare crisis.
As a result of the strike, the government plans to deploy 1,000 medical interns to various hospitals across the country to mitigate the impact on public health services. The doctors are demanding the implementation of promises made by the government, including a collective bargaining agreement signed in 2017 following a previous 100-day strike that resulted in fatalities due to lack of medical care.
A meeting is scheduled between the union, ministry officials, and State House representatives to address the ongoing stand-off and find a resolution. The strike has left thousands of Kenyans without essential public health services, underscoring the urgent need for a swift and effective resolution to the dispute.
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