The prevailing drought situation and high cost of living has left many ailing Kenyans living on the edge.

The drought situation is already taking a toll on most households in the country – especially families living in marginalised areas.

Reports indicate that the current drought has already killed thousands of animals, and left many farms lying bare.

This is a story that John*, a 52-year-old livestock farmer from North Eastern, says he is already too familiar with, having witnessed countless droughts, and the resultant destruction and loss of lives.

John says he has had a problem with his kidneys for the last eight years.

He told Wananchi Reporting that he visits the hospital for dialysis every so often – sometimes on an empty stomach. 

The most recent pronouncement by doctors indicating their intention to go on strike, has left John, who lived through the 100-day doctors' strike in 2017, worried.

“I am sure lives will be lost if nothing is done to avert the strike,” John wrote to Wananchi Reporting.

Reports indicate that officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union (KMPDU) recently held discussions with officials from the Ministry of Health, Council of Governors, Ministry of Labour, Treasury, The Salaries and Remuneration Commission, Public Service Commission, Department of public service, and Central Organization of Trade union (COTU-k).

It is understood that the talks were aimed at reviewing the status update concerning issues doctors had raised in their ‘notice of intent to strike’.

“Our discussions revolved around six key issues namely; internships, CBA and compliance with court order of October 2021, non practice allowances, post-graduate fees, CBA 2021-2025 and the terms of engagement of doctors and health workers,” said Dr. Davji Atella, the KMPDU Secretary General.

On the issue of internships, the meeting is said to have agreed to absorb 300 Interns who were not posted in January.

“The posting, based on our agreement with the government and all stakeholders, will be done in April,” said Dr. Davji.

In what is likely to put a smile on the faces of Kenyan doctors, and go a long way in averting the strike, the multi-agency team presented a computation of basic salary arrears owed to all doctors due to non-implementation of the CBA basic salary structure.

“The main beneficiaries will be doctors who were at job group M, N, S and R as at 2017,” he said, noting that the multi-agency team will meet on March 29 for the tabling of the proposed payment schedule.

According to Dr. Davji, the Ministry of Health committed to pay school fees for all doctors in Post-graduate studies this financial year.

Other issues being looked at is the setting up of the CBA negotiating team by the Ministry of Health and Council of Governors to issue a counter proposal that KMPDU presented on the CBA 2021-2025.

John told Wananchi Reporting that there needs to be more doctors employed to serve Kenyans – with recent reports indicating that some 4,000 doctors were yet to be employed here in Kenya.

On this Dr. Davji maintains that more doctors and health workers need to be employed – and at the right terms.

“There is a shortage, and we need more doctors employed in compliance with PSC circular on conversion of health workers in the counties and UHC to permanent and pensionable terms,” he says, noting that talks are underway.