The ongoing negotiations between the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU) and the Health Ministry on Wednesday, March 27, hit a stalemate after the latter declined to engage in the talks.
Taking to their social media, KMPDU expressed frustrations with the move, citing that the negligence by the Susan Nakhumicha-led team was proof of the government's inability to heed the citizens' pleas.
The negotiations between the two parties were aimed at solving the standoff and bringing an end to the doctors' strike which is on its 14th day.
"Despite our openness to discussions and negotiations, it's disheartening that our government has abandoned the negotiation table, failing its citizens," KMPDU stated.
"The ongoing doctors' strike highlights their disregard for public health. It's not the doctors on strike, it's the government."
Earlier, the Council of Governors chairperson Anne Waiguru had warned the doctors to call off the strike and head to their respective areas of work or else stern action would be taken against them.
"We ask the doctors to show goodwill and return to work as negotiations go on. We also call upon the doctors to return to work pursuant to court orders issued on March 13, 2024, and March 15, 2024," Waiguru noted.
"Failure to which, the respective county governments, who are their employers, will be at liberty to take any appropriate disciplinary action."
Waiguru also called on KMPDU to negotiate a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the county governments as a form of goodwill should they call off the strike.
"We encourage the union to negotiate the new CBAs with the county governments who are their employers. This cannot be negotiated from the national level because health is a devolved function. We urge the county governments and the doctors to exercise sobriety as parties resolve these matters amicably," she added.
Following the CoG's statement, KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah reaffirmed his stance that the doctors would not be threatened to resume work.
He urged the Health Ministry to honour the negotiations, failure to which the strike would continue.
"We went to court and got a judgment that went against all the 47 counties and the Ministry of Health to demand for that payment, they have not complied. So you cannot go to the table of negotiation with dirty hands, you have to clean your hands before you engage us and tell us to comply with a court order."
