Kisii County doctors resume duty after 8-day strike

Doctors in Kisii County who had downed their tools for a week on Thursday resumed duties after successful negotiations with the County Government on Wednesday.

Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Nyanza Branch Chairman Dr. Kevin Osuri said the county government had agreed to meet their demands in the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement(CBA).

“The county government has finally agreed to promote doctors, grant doctors study leave and improved NHIF Cover after a long wait to the implementation of the 2017 CBA. Resume immediately to your respective hospitals for service delivery,” said Osuri.

The return-to-work agreement came following talks chaired by Governor James Ongwae and the Chairman of the KMPDU Nyanza Branch Dr. Kevin Osuri.

The governor reiterated his commitment to improving the health sector and welfare of medical practitioners.

He also emphasized the need for health practitioners in the county to embrace dialogue whenever they feel their rights are infringed thus averting perennial strikes being witnessed.

“It’s good to always consider dialogues first before resulting in strikes. You are subjecting the patients to suffering,” the governor said.