Intern Doctors Stage Protest Outside Afya House
Intern Doctors Stage Protest Outside Afya House
The placard-waving vuvuzela-blowing doctors said the Sh965 million the ministry released on Saturday only catered for one of the four months’ salary arrears.
“What they sent was for one month, we are still demanding salaries for three months,” a leader of the team said.
On Saturday, Health CS Deborah Barasa said the government had released Sh965 million to clear accrued monthly stipends for all intern nurses, clinical officers, medical officers, and pharmacists.
She said the monies would go towards the payment of 826 intern medical officers, 274 pharmacists, 71 dentists, 140-degree clinical officers, 1,185-degree nursing officers, and 1,251 diploma clinical officers.
CS Barasa said Sh528 million of the amount would clear salary arrears for intern nurses and clinical officers, while Sh110 million was for November salaries for the two categories of health workers.
She said a further Sh326 million would cater for the salary arrears for intern medical officers, intern dental officers, and intern pharmacists.
“This 100 percent payment ensures that all posted interns in the specified cadres receive their dues without delay,” Barasa said.
She said the payments are a testament to the ministry’s commitment to fostering a conducive work environment for health workers and enhanced quality services to Kenyans.
The interns, however, accused the CS of being insincere saying the amount they have received thus far is for one month.
“The ministry is full of PR, on Saturday the CS made a press conference saying she has paid interns in full. We want to tell you media that that is not true, that’s a lie.”
“We are here to tell Kenyans that we doctors are suffering without even health insurance cover, without food, without the basic needs such as shelter,” the medics said through a spokesperson.
The doctors demanded that the Ministry pay them salary scales agreed upon in the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, saying the lack of goodwill on the side of the government to implement the deal has led to despair.
“The lack of goodwill by the ministry has resulted in frustrations among intern doctors with two of our gallant soldiers succumbing to mental health issues,” they said in a statement.
“The internship process, which has been the bread and butter of the health profession is on the verge of collapse and that’s why all these intern doctors across the whole country have come to occupy MoH.”
Intern Doctors Stage Protest Outside Afya House
