Governor asks doctors to call off strike during festive season

West Pokot Governor, Simon Kacahapin, and Ahadi Kenya Trust CEO, Stanley Kamau, on Tuesday, December 20 asked doctors to call off the ongoing strike and resume work during this Christmas holiday.

Speaking in Kapenguria during the official launch of Ambulance Mashinani donated by Lotto Foundation in conjunction with Ahadi Trust, the two said that the best gift the doctors could give Kenyans during the festive season is resuming work and preventing more deaths.

Kamau asked doctors to devote their time to patients and not to look at the salary increment that they are demanding for from the government.

“Am asking doctors to serve patients without any conditions. We want to celebrate in peace,” he said, urging the government to stop threatening the doctors’ union since it may only serve to worsen the situation.

“Let’s embrace dialogue because those who are greatly affected by the strike are low-income Kenyans who cannot afford to seek the services in private hospitals,” he said.

However, Kachapin asked the government to come up with a policy guideline that will help control unions under health sector since the docket has been devolved to counties.

He said that his government had done a lot to improve the working standards of health workers.

“My government has absorbed health workers that were employed under Economic Stimulus Programme and promoted most of the health workers,” he said.

He stressed that county governments have the capacity to manage health sector and asked the doctors to call off the strike.

Writing by Eddy Ashioya