Crisis looms at Mathari, KNH as doctors start strike
Entrance of Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital in Nairobi.
A health crisis is looming after doctors and registrars withdrew services at two major public hospitals yesterday.
The strike will likely paralyse services at Kenyatta National and Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospitals.
The move by doctor-lecturers will not only affect learning at the institutions but also services rendered by students during practical sessions.
In a press statement, Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) endorsed the strike by doctor-lecturers and post-graduate students from the University of Nairobi.
The doctors are demanding the reinstatement of clinical allowances and the establishment of a framework geared at protecting them from the university management.
KMPDU acting secretary-general Chibanzi Mwachonda yesterday directed medical practitioners, pharmacists and dentists to withdraw their services immediately.
Earlier yesterday, University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga announced the strike at KNH campus after the union failed to reach an agreement with the University of Nairobi and the Ministry of Labour.
“Uasu launches a strike at the University of Nairobi, College of Health Sciences over failure by the employer to pay clinical allowances to academic staff,” Dr Wasonga said.
He added that unless the allowances are reinstated, the UoN will not graduate medical doctors, pharmacists and nurses this year.
The union condemned the university for withdrawing allowances medics have been earning for more than 20 years.
“Due to the unresponsiveness of the university management and failure to pay the allowances, we launch this strike to fight for our dignity,” he said.
Dr Wasonga also asked lecturers in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Architecture and Engineering, Biological and Physical Sciences, College of Education and External Sciences, College of Health Sciences and the College of Agriculture to join the strike.
He said the union had given the university many chances to end the dispute through dialogue, but the management had refused to implement its demands.
