Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union Secretary General Ouma Olunga has criticized the government’s way of handling the ongoing doctors strike.
Olunga said the country is at an unfortunate point after health CS Cleopa Mailu and Treasury CS Henry Rotich announced that they will be exploring alternative measures to deal with the crisis in the healthcare system
Mailu on Friday said that the government might consider hiring foreign doctors
The doctors on Friday rejected a 40% pay rise offer made by the president and only swore to go back to work once the 300% pay rise signed in the CBA is delivered to them.
The government spokesman Eric Kiraithe, however, said a 300% salary increment will affect the government management structure.
“The president’s offer was final. A further increase will affect the wage bill and also give other cadres of workers ideas to stage similar strikes. It is a Pandora’s Box the government will not open. Let doctors stay advised,” said Kiraithe.
He said this will be bad example for other high end careers.
Olunga has however insisted that the strike will proceed as they had on Friday announced.
“The implementation of the CBA is all we need. We have presented seven alternative implementation proposals with timelines that extend till 2018,” said Olunga.