Members of Parliament on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 questioned the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Ms. Susan Nakhumicha over the ongoing strike by medical practitioners.

 CS Nakhumicha appeared before the House during Question Time to respond to Members’ questions touching on her docket.

 Westlands MP, Hon. Tim Wanyonyi sought to know why the Government had delayed posting medical interns, the timeliness for the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in 2017 and steps the Ministry is taking to resolve the ongoing conflict.

 In her response, CS Nakhumicha informed the House that as at February this year, the Ministry had a total of 3,759 interns in various cadres who were to be posted. 

 “Hon. Members, my Ministry has a total of 3,759 interns in various cadres who are to be posted for internship. Of these, 1,270 clinical officers (diploma) interns had already reported to work while another 1,210 medical officers, dental officers and pharmacists were in possession of their letters of posting. About 2,404 letters for the remaining nursing and clinical officers are in the process of distribution to enable them report to work by April 15, 2024,” she said. 

The CS told the House that the delay in posting interns was a result of limited budgetary allocations. She added that out of a budget requirement of Kshs.5, 738,217,550 for the internship programme, the Ministry had only received Kshs.3, 688,166,173.  

 On the issue of the CBA signed with Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) in 2017, the CS stated that the Government was actively working on implementing the terms of the Agreements.  

“The National Government has so far undertaken the following to fulfil its obligations to the CBA; we have facilitated the payment of basic salary arrears accrued by the National Government entities, we have provided grants and scholarships for eligible postgraduate medical officers and we have provided comprehensive medical insurance to the doctors at the National Government level,” she said.

 She went on to add that the Ministry had posted 4,156 medical interns in July 2023 at a cost of Kshs.4.3 billion in addition to securing Kshs. 2.3 billion that would go towards posting 3,759 medical interns at the Salaries and Remuneration Commissions (SRC) proposed rates. 

“In addition to seeking financial solutions to the ongoing disagreement, the Government through the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has appointed three (3) Conciliators to guide parties to arrive at solutions to the dispute. We are also adopting the Court-appointed Whole-of-Nation-Approach led by the Head of Public Service to bring together both sides with a view of seeking solutions that will solve the perennial issues plaguing the Health Sector in Kenya,” CS Nakhumicha added.