Government Orders Doctors Back After Cancelling Sh14.5 Billion Offer

The government yesterday cancelled the Sh14.5 billion offer it had presented to striking doctors.

In a press conference attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta, Council of Governors chairman Peter Munya aslo directed all the striking doctors to return to work immediately.

He said only doctors who have been on duty will receive the increment. “All postgraduate medical students sponsored by the government and have been on strike must return to work immediately,” Munya said.

He said the national and county governments and all other employers will immediately continue and complete disciplinary action against staff who have absconded from duty to facilitate filling of vacancies.

Munya said the resolutions followed a special meeting of governors, the Health ministry and Uhuru. “We have also resolved that the National Police Service will continue providing maximum security to doctors who will be on duty,” he said.

Munya said the government had offered the doctors a 50 per cent increment on their salaries and Sh600 million risk allowances, which were to be backdated from July, 2016.

The offer raised the doctors’ singular budget to Sh14.5 billion, he said.

Munya said the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union leaders provoked the government to withdraw the offer because of their hardline stance.

Munya maintained the strike is illegal, as the Labour Court ruled.

Earlier yesterday, the Court of Appeal pleaded with the Council of Governors and the Health ministry to meet the doctors union officials and sign the revised agreement to end the strike.

Addressing governors at the Fourth Devolution Conference in Naivasha, Uhuru said the doctors are only out to blackmail the government by staging a health crisis.

The President said this is not acceptable.

-The Star